Dan and I spent the last week traveling to both New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA. The former so that we could experience the magnificence of the city and the latter being for a wedding extravaganza for our friends Jamie and Andrea. While in NYC, several of our friends rolled out the red carpet treatment to show us a phenomenal time. Allen was kind enough to let us take over his apartment for three days, Jess, Pastry Sous Chef at Maialino, set us up with a chef's tasting at Maialino, and our friends Michael and Erica led us to some of the hippest spots in the West Village. While I will indulge you in more detail on each of the aforementioned in blog posts to come, I want to take time to honor our dinner at Maialino. With 7 courses, 21 unique plates of food, 8 expertly paired wines, 2 celebrity sightings (Al Pacino and Abigail Breslin), and 5 of my favorite people to share everything with, this meal easily steals the title of Best Dining Experience of My Life. Even a Partridge in a Pear Tree can't top that.
To the best of my memory's ability (and utilizing my one semester's worth of Italian), here is the list of indulgences:
{ANTIPASTI}
Fave con Parmigiano | Fava Beans & Parmesan w/ lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper
Carciofoni, Zucchine e Limone Fritti | Fried Artichokes, Zucchini, and Lemons
Insalata Catalana | Octopus, Shrimp, Potatoes, and Sungolds
{PRIMI}
Ravioli con le Mandorle e Menta Pisello | Pea and Mint Ravioli w/ almonds
Spaghettini alle Vongole | Spaghetti & Clams w/ white wine and garlic
Spaghetti col Tonno | Sicilian Tuna & Black Olives
{PRIMI -- Round II}
Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe | Pecorino & Black Pepper
Garganelli | Braised Rabbit, Green Olives & Rosemary*
Salsiccia di Cacio e Spinaci | Pork Sausage, Spinach, and Pecorino*
{SECONDI}
Storione alla Griglia | Grilled Sturgeon & Vignarola
Baccala alla Cetriolo | Cod, Cucumber & Israeli Cous Cous
{SECONDI -- Round II}
Maialino al Forno | Pepper-Dusted Suckling Pig*
{CONTORNI}
Rapini Strascinati | Charred Broccoli Rabe, Garlic & Chili
Melanzane Arrosto | Roasted Baby Eggplant
Galletti Arrosto | Roasted Chanterelles
{DOLCI}
Tartufo | Frozen Chocolate Truffle & Brandied Cherries
Torta Di Olio D'Oliva | Olive Oil Cake & Vanilla Bean Mascarpone
Gelati | Fior di Latte, Cioccolato, Mint Chip
Sorbetti | Strawberry-Basil, Sour Cherry, Raspberry Lemon Verbena
Panna Cotta | Blackberries & Raspberries
Blueberry Crostada | Fior di Latte Gelato
{VINO} Only those I can recall the names of for now -- hope to have a full list later!
Brut Rosé, Fantinel | Friuli-Venezia Giulia
2007 Negroamaro, Rosa del Golfo | Puglia
1996 Barolo, Vigna Aborina Rocche dell'Annunziata, Bovio | Piemonte
I'm not quite sure where to begin with this menu. Everything was r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s-l-y good. Each dish, using only a few ingredients, exemplifies what Italian cooking is all about: keeping it simple, super fresh, and full of flavor all while using top-notch seasonal ingredients. Maialino's food is honest and uncomplicated. The ingredients are so well paired that the food speaks for itself without the need for fancy descriptive words or impractical garnishes to enhance its beauty. This is what excellent food is all about. Why bother with complex sauces, fussy foams, and quirky food oddities when you can keep it simple and accentuate the flavors of each and every ingredient you put on a plate? Maialino honors every ingredient that nestles atop its porcelain-white serving gear leaving not one to play second fiddle to another. Even the fava bean, which I had carelessly labeled as "bland" pre-Maialino dinner, demonstrated its complete and utter excellence upon being paired with olive oil, lemon, and parmesan. This was more than just a meal. It was a dining experience for the books and one that will continue to inspire my cooking for a very long time to come. Thank you, Maialino and Jess for this incredible gastronomic adventure.
* Denotes items I did not try. However, I know my tablemates would vouch for their deliciousness.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide says
I started reading that and got so hungry I had to stop! I need to go have lunch and come back. You had me at fava beans.