GATHER55 at Hands on Hartford

 Today's lunch at Gather 55, the latest Hands on Hartford food experience, offered up a truly wonderful meal. The place was packed but the front of the house rep found us a perfect table against the rear wall with a view of the dining room. The gentleman who fixed/adjusted our table did a super job; hate those wobbly tables I always manage to find. The menus were clear and the ordering was super easy. The end product went way above our expectations. My dining partner ordered the Chicken Salad plate with a pasta side included. The chicken was fresh, tender and delicious [I stole a piece] and the penne pasta was just right. I had the Salmon Wrap with spinach, avocado and ginger vinaigrette. The wrap was huge and the salmon perfectly cooked while the added ingredients made the dish even better. The crowd was lively and the atmosphere was full of love. We will return! Want to try the breakfast.

blognote1: There are various level of payment possibilities. Check the website for info.

blognote2: Tyler Anderson will partner with Connecticut chefs in a prix-fixe monthly dinner. This is planned to start in October. Can't wait for this to happen!

Chef Dinner at V's Trattoría for CLOC Dining Staff

Tonight I facilitated a Chef Dinner at V’s Trattoría hosted by Peter Fescoe, CLOC Dining Director, for six Dining Rooms' Managers and Supervisors. This team-building event featured the culinary skills of Chef Rob Mafucci. Our  5 course menu was exquisite. From the Antipasto to the Pappardelle in a creamy cheese sauce with pork belly lardons to the Monkfish and a Bread Pudding from the pizza oven...and a wine with each course [the Chocolate Expresso Martini with the dessert was a killer!]. It was a wonderful evening of great food, super wine and team building and entertaining stories via the Chef.

bloginfo: The restaurant entry is actually on Church Street across the street from Hartford Stage.

V's Trattoria

A great stop in town...Tech Rehearsal at Hartford Stage for 'Pike Street' so did Happy Hour before it started. Always a great choice of food and great service. We sat at the bar and ordered the white wine of the night which was a nice Pinot Grigio and a Ricotta Pizza. The pizza came hot and fresh from the kitchen and was covered with excellent cheese and a load of garlic. The added dish of sauce with its hunks of real tomatoes was a plus. The best Happy Hour in town!

August 11, 2019

Another terrific meal today after volunteering at the Cathedral up the block. Started with an amuse bouche of Mediterranean Olives and great bread [nobody makes bread like Vito]. Had the seasonal Di Stagione Salad with roasted plums and a honey vinaigrette. Then on to Calamari Alla Vitos in a sherry wine and evoo broth with lots of that good bread to sop up the goodness. Ended the meal with a cappuccino and a vodka, peach and mint infusion. What a day, what a meal!

Calamari alla Vitos

Salad di Stagione

August, 2019
Happy Hour made me happy at V's Trattoria! But then every meal there does that to me. We each had a Peroni beer on draft and followed this with the Meatballs with mushrooms on polenta, Arancini and the grilled baby Artichoke Hearts. What a meal as everything was delicious and the service is, as usual, superb.

Anthony Bourdain Tribute Dinner

Attended an Anthony Bourdain Tribute Dinner on Bastille Day to benefit the Jordan Porco Foundation at Bistro on Main. This is one of my favorite places to eat so was eager to go and help out a suicide prevention cause and eat some terrific food.

Mission accomplished as the food and company were terrific! Menu:

SUMMER CEVICHE

scallion, shrimp, octopus with pickled summer berries, avocado and herbs

in lime, lemon and orange juice

paired with Lillet Liberté

lillet blanc, gin, orange bitters and pomegranate juice

CRISPY QUAIL SALADE

micro greens, watermelon, heirloom tomato, grilled halloumi 

honey lavender glaze, pickled shallots, chilled ancient grains

with a pomegranate vinaigrette

paired with Bascou Condamine l'Eveque 2017 Picoul-de-Pinet

VENISON STRIP LOIN

foie gras mousseline, roasted peach demi glace

braised summer greens and shaved radish

paired with The Cicada, Chante Cigala 2016 Cotes de Rhone

BROWN BUTTER CAKE

chartreuse-soaked summer stone fruit

with vermont creamery fromage blanc & lemon, mint and basil persillade

paired with Limonade Française

st-germain, dry vermouth, lemon juice, absinthe, tonic, mint, rocks

V's Trattoria Chef Dinner

Was able to experience a Chef Dinner starring Rob Mafucci once again and share it with a group of enthusiastic diners! V's Trattoria is my 'go-to home away from home' restaurant.

Unfortunately this is the only photo from the dinner. I was too busy to document this evening because the food and wine were so good. It was definitely something I don't often do as my friends will attest. Sometimes you need to put away the camera and just eat. And I did!

We started with the above Antipasto with a sparkling Rosé and then went to the signature Pappardelle Bolognese with a delicious Shiraz. Both of these were so fitting together that there would be no divorce soon. A choice of Hanger Steak or Salmon came next. My medium rare Hanger Steak was adopted and came home with me. It was perfection and I wanted to savor it in private. I did do a good job on the Pinot Noir that accompanied it though. Dessert was a Chocolate Bread Pudding made even more sumptuous by it's visit to the pizza oven to create a crunch topping. The chocolate and caramel drizzles made this a perfect ending and the homemade Limoncello helped that along also. What a wonderful meal that our group of eleven is still talking about. Chef Rob Mafucci I salute you!

V's Trattoría Chef Dinner

Chef Rob Mafucci led us through an amazing journey last night at his signature restaurant, V's Trattoría in Hartford. This multi-course dinner was surely amazing! Aside from the food, however, the evening was even more memorable because of Rob's personally narrated culinary trip. Eight of us sat front and center watching Chef Rob cook and prepare and present each course. Just like a class where you learn so much and enjoy it even more.

We started with an Antipasto which made all past antipasti go to shame. The slice on the prosciutto was so thin it was nearly see through. The rest of the plate made it seem regal. 

This was followed by the famous Parpardelle Bolognese – Chef Rob’s cutting edge chocolate truffle pasta, Sicilian meat sauce topped with fresh ricotta & citrus gremolade. *As seen on Food Network! This was the battle dish on his 'Beat Bobby Flay' adventure.

Unfortunately [or otherwise] there are no more good pictures of the following offerings. We progressed to a choice of Salmon or Short Ribs and I choose the latter with the promise of being allowed to share the salmon with my dining partner. They were both amazing. The wines for each course were excellently chosen and the match for each course was delicious. Am I having a good time? Need you ask?

After a palate cleanser we proceeded to the dessert of a Panettone Bread Pudding with a Caramel striping and Citrus Cream with a delicious Riesling to help out. It did not need any help but the wine was perfect. 

blognote: this event happens every month...go for it!