The wine list is all Italian. Especially recommended reds: Cusumano Nero d’Avola — darker than pinot noir but lighter than cabernets, or Caparzo Sangiovese (both $8/glass, $32/bottle) — a blend that caters to American palates. Flavorful, crusty, warm bread is served with a blend of white beans, carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, parsley, basil and olive oil, creating an initial impression that is a leg up on most of the competition. Three starters sustain that positive appraisal. Grilled Polenta is a definite winner, exuding buttery flavor augmented by lush cream sauce studded with fresh mushrooms. In a Meat Ball, veal and Parmesan flavors are quite evident, enhanced with rich tomato sauce and green peas. Three Crepes are presented in spokes emanating from a hub of green and leaf lettuces, lightly dressed. Artichoke, spinach and cream flavors, blended in ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, emerge from within the crepes, along with roasted peppers and tarragon. Panzanella Salad is accurately described on the menu, but the description does not match the traditional Italian composition of bread, basil and tomatoes. This version consists of green and red leaf lettuces with hot grilled polenta croutons, plus chopped kalamata olives, sliced red onions, capers and cherry tomatoes, with balsamic vinaigrette. The overall effect is a little sharp, a function primarily of the abundant, large capers. Beet Salad is an assembly of large beet slices and roasted carrots coated with balsamic emulsion — fresh in flavor, vibrant in color. Endive Salad arrays slices of endive, inherently slightly bitter, around a center of whole endive fronds, interspersed with walnuts, caramelized apples and Gorgonzola cheese, yielding a mellow balance. Salads are large enough to share. This kitchen prepares all pasta in house. Three are offered in small plates. Strozzapreti (which literally translates to “priest strangler”) are rolled and cut pasta sheets that, according to legend, were so flavorful that gluttonous priests ate so many they choked. The pasta is blended with a lush sauce of ground beef and pork and cream. In Gnocchi, soft potato dumplings are coated with tomato and bechamel sauce — no meat. Fettucine Boscaiolo (the term refers to the woods), my favorite, joins mushrooms and peas with prosciutto cotto (Italian ham) and cream sauce. Ham flavor blends beautifully with other ingredients. Lasagne is prepared Emelia Romagna style, reflecting the chef’s origins in Northern Italy. It layers fresh pasta sheets with bechamel (a white sauce of flour cooked in butter, simmered with milk), then blended with Bolognese sauce. The result contains less meat than is usual among local renditions. Nidi di Rondine, another favorite, stuffs pasta sheets with prosciutto cotto and mozzarella cheese, baked in bechamel sauce. These arrive bubbling hot from the oven. Don’t rush into things! Chicken Francese is coated with egg batter and sauteed, sharpened with just the right amount of lemon juice, plus capers and beurre blanc sauce, along with green peas and fingerling potatoes. Roasted Wild Salmon is an ample portion, plated with a grilled polenta cake. The menu refers to Italian sweet and sour sauce — a honey, mustard and orange juice reduction that complements the fish flavor quite well. Both entrees come with roasted onions, leeks, carrots and red peppers, plus squash and mushrooms. Pork Chop is about an inch thick, tender and juicy, outstanding in flavor. An accent of oregano pops through. A salad of peas and lentils, plus grilled polenta cake, completes the presentation. An off-menu special, Skirt Steak, had been grilled over an open flame. Firm texture, appropriate for the cut, nevertheless avoided toughness. Solid depth of beef flavor emerged, enhanced with butter, garlic, oregano and quality salt (not the harsh, briny taste that mars most dishes where salt is evident). Chef tossed al dente green beans and shredded Brussels sprouts in butter and placed them alongside fingerling potatoes, roasted, then lightly touched on the grill. Apple Strudel and Molten Chocolate Cake both taste good, the latter particularly rich. They look and taste similar to dishes I have had elsewhere. Creme Brulee strikes me as more representative of this kitchen’s expertise, virtually glistening with melted sugar sheen, the crust breaking through to creamy, light custard — an excellent rendition of this perennial favorite. Osteria will go on my short list of scheduled return visits. Its Northern Italian influences set it apart from other area establishments. John Batchelor has been reviewing restaurants for 30 years. His reviews run the first Thursday of the month. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:19:40 +0000
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