As promised! We are on the road again~~~
The gardens near the entrance of Trattoria Nostrani were as inviting as the lovely interior. Dark ebony floors were polished and serene. The Nouveau-Deco offered soft banquettes, and 1950s Thonet chairs. Art was well thought out and the lighting sublime...
We were one of the first to arrive... This can be a mixed blessing, either too much attention or the look of do-these-people-not-understand civilized-dinner-hours? We had none of the above, we were offered a glass of wine while we waited for Kim & Olin, scheduled to arrive at the more appropriate dining time~~
Our server was professional to a fault. Carefully observant, non obstrusive..
The chef, Nellie, obviously does the hard work of making a meal perfect... Homemade stocks sing, vegetables are selected with care, meats and fish are mostly local, the four course menu is carefully thought out and executed with total attention to detail. I do agree, any odor might have distracted from the tantilizing
smells from her divinely inspired food, which demanded fully alert senses for sensual dining pleasure.
So, the meal.....
First course:
Squash blossoms stuffed with three cheeses
Seared foie gras with orange supremes and strawberry amaretto soup
Pumpkin soup with hazelnut mousseline ( my choice)
Escarole and shaved fennel with cucumber and red onion vinaigrette
Second course:
Gnocchi with beet reduction and gorgonzola
Taglierlini with fresh figs and black pepper
Sweet potato ravioli with sage
Third course:
Lamb loin with red wine reduction and haricot vert
Braised rabbit, deboned and wrapped around foie gras and local sausages
Fresh trout encrusted in pinion and finished with lime chili
Desserts:
Buttermilk panna cotta with lavendar creme anglaise
Hazelnut chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries
A trio of warm Italian cookies
The combination of flavors, understated excellence in presentation
blended with bursts of new and inspired revelations of what an imaginative chef
can deliver when the art of food is also the gift of love...
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