My limit is one piece. I don’t want to push my luck.
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Sometimes I don’t understand why I have more containers to put away after a dinner of leftovers than I took out. Eating through one container at a time seems to help.
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as my lil nephew would say - “i’d snaffle that!”
‘ Carmelina Ristorante, Woodbine and Steelcase, Markham ‘
Returning to our favorite uptown Italian restaurant for a casual family dinner with the kids. As in the past, the delectable food was lovingly prepared and well executed.
This time, for starters, we had one of the best Garlic bread bruschetta ever encountered. The bottom layer of the piping hot, Italian bread was grilled to super crispy/crunchy perfection, the soft and spongy top main body of the bread, generously covered with vivid tasting garlic butter. So addictive!
Following up with the garlic theme, we ordered a nicely dressed creamy and garlicky Caesar Salad.
The ‘ ex-Pastis ‘ like char-grilled Calamari dressed with diced tomatoes, anchovies, olives and capers appetizer was as smokey and exotic tasting as before.
The generous mussels, finished off with a well balanced and delicate lemon cream sauce was spectacular tasting. The resulting umami loaded savory broth, perfect for more bread to dip into. The mains had not arrived and we were nearly full! 
Our must-order, smokey, well charred and perfectly cooked, medium rare, tender rack of lamb was accompanied this time with an astonishingly tasty, slightly sweet, complex red wine reduction sauce. Again, more bread was needed to mop up every drop of this taste wonder.
The ultra tender Veal Scallopini, with slightly tangy and salty Pizzaiola sauce, was as authentic and tasty as the version I first had in London’s Soho Italian town years ago! Thanks for the memory!
Lastly, the well-timed ‘ al dante ‘ Fettucini with Blue crab was delicious, enjoyable and ‘ different ‘.
Of course we have to finish off our meal with a home-made Tiramisu … .the lady finger soaked with liquor!
Our professional and attentive servers were as friendly and helpful as usual.
Overall, another delightful and near faultless meal in the bag! A Nice ‘ non-Chinese ‘ culinary start to the ‘Year of the Horse’!
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Oh. Mah. GAWD. Those look amazing!
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Are those two salami slices on the Caesar salad? Also, interesting to combine broccoli and blue crab. I don’t think I’ve seen a lot of use of broccoli in Italian pasta dishes.
Lamb looks fab!
Last night : frozen gnocchi with refrigerated rosé sauce from my local butcher shop, Grace Meat Market in Toronto’s Little Italy. A happy discovery. A break from my own cooking, and my serving cost about 1/3 of the price a take-out order of gnocchi would cost from a nearby restaurant ($22-$28 CAD before tax and tip).
A recent very good $28 gnocchi with nduja and porcini order at a Sal’s, a resto nearby.
I’ll have to count my gnocchi or agnolotti next time I order either while out, to compare the prices. LOL
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Snowy end to the day.
MOAR snow expected Sunday night into Monday morning.
Potential blizzard-like conditions during Monday morning rush hour.
I expect to be WFH on Monday. Or at least going in late.
We’ll see.
Tonight, however, I’m going light…copying a meal I made a couple of weeks ago because it was good.
Halibut was roasted in a 425° oven after lubing it up with olive oil and s/p for about 12-14 minutes, with a white wine-lemon-parsley sauce drizzled on top after plating.
Sautéed sugar snap peas, red bell pepper and onions with Penzeys Tuscan Sunset seasoning blend and s/p. No starch.
There WAS, however, wine.
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Those were Crisps made from Prosciutto Ham.
As for broccoli florets, the first time I saw them used in pasta dishes as well.
That halibut looks so good!
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How did you cook the fish and the chips?
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The fish was first soaked in a seasoned milk-and-egg bath, then dredged in a mixture of seasoned flour and panko. Shallow fried on the stove-top in 325-ish-degree oil for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Spuds were cooked in a counter-top convenction oven (air-fry setting) at 425 for about 25 minutes, turning about 3 times during the duration. These were last seasons potatoes, so not the crispiest. Still good!
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Tonight’s dinner was Jaime Oliver Garlic Chicken Breast, Stove Top Stuffing w/gravy and green beans.
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Repeat of lunch - Neapolitan style pizza with spicy salami, mozzarella, basil, and canned crushed tomatoes
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Coleslaw Burger with Chili Sauce from essen & trinken magazine - coleslaw made with shredded red cabbage, carrots, red onions and cilantro and a quick mayonnaise (egg yolk, mustard, lime juice and canola oil). Chili sauce with catchup, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and fresno chili. Patty just with 80% grass-fed beef. Burgers assembled with butter lettuce, patty, tomato, chili sauce and coleslaw. Fries and extra coleslaw on the side
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NYT Shrimp Saganaki because I always have the basics on hand - garlic, onions, crushed tomatoes, olives, etc, as well as the specifics - shrimp, cherry tomatoes, feta, dill and ouzo . Since I had it I threw in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach. I didn’t bother to precook the shrimp and used whatever was left in the ouzo so ended up using a bit more. This came together very quickly and was very tasty.
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