I’ve come up with a new use for Restaurant Week. We’ve gone out as a couple, with another couple and with a big group of friends. It was all fun. But, this year my friend Lori A and I decided that a girl’s night out might be a good idea for restaurant week. Lori L and Cornelia came along and we super indulged at Arcodoro Pomodoro. None of us had been there before.
I asked if we could see a normal menu, as well as the RW menu. The hostess agreed to go get one and we never saw her again. Whatever. The RW menu looked fine. Lori A ordered a bottle of Proscecco to start. Perfect! Our very good looking waiter was quite patient with us. Unfortunately, no one can remember his name. He was classically tall, dark and hansome. He made recommendations, explained the dishes and kept our glasses full. He gets an A+ for the evening.
The appetizers were not quite as stunning as he was. I had the Isalata de Polipo e Bottarga. This translates into a celery and fennel salad with tender octopus and slices of fresh bottarga drizzled with lemon olive oil dressing. I was especially interested in the bottarga. I’m still interested about it’s flavor because I couldn’t ever really identify its presence. Let’s say the salad was refreshing. Not bad, but not exciting. Lori L and Cornelia had the Carpaccio di Manzo al Pesto di olive. Cured carpaccio of Angus beef tenderloin with black pepper and sea salt, served over chopped romaine heart and cherry tomatoes, leccino olives and sundried pesto dressing. The meat was sliced so thin you could see through. Not that that is a bad thing. But, Cornelia said that sauce and salad was lacking. She suggested an accompaniment make-over was in order. Lori L agreed. Lori A ordered the Crostini de Melanzane e Mozzarella di Bufala. This was described as Paesano bread crostini topped with orasted egglaant mousse and melted buffalo Mozzarell, served over arugula salad and fresh fig balsaba. This place really knows how to make a dish sound good on the menu. Lori A said it was disappointing and that she couldn’t even taste the eggplant mousse. That’s a problem. The wine pairing for this course was the same for all of us. Lughente, Vermentino di Gallura. It was good. But, I was surprised that it was served with all three dishes.
On to the main course. Lori A had the Paella Sarda, Sardinian style Paella made with Fregula pasta insted of rice, simmered in homemade lobster stock with a medly of seafood, calamari, clams, mussels, shrimp scallops and saffron. I don’t usually like saffron. But, I tasted her dish and the saffron was just right. No saffron overkill. Lori A pronounced it “yummy”. It had tons of fresh seafood. I was surprised by the amount of seafood actually. It was also a very pretty dish. Lori L and I both had the Salmone alla Saba e Rosmarino, fresh filet of Scottish salmon baked with Saba, rosemary, lemongrass and fresh dill. Served with a fresh green bean and cherry tomato salad with a Fruttato olive oil saba sauce. What they didn’t mention was the balsamic reduction sauce over the fish. Lori L said the sauce and the fried beet chi on the salmon was the most memorable part of the dish. I have to agree. The salmon was well prepared, though I couldn’t help wishing I had the paella instead. Cornelia had the Maccarrones de Puntzu alla Cagliaritana. The dish was Arcodoro’s handmade semolina dumplings with white asparagus, sun dried tomatoes and mascarpone cheese. Cornelia said it was to die for. She’s a white asparagus girl. I thought it was very tasty. Something like a grown up mac and cheese. We all had the pairing wine which was the 2008 Terra Saliosa. Tasted so good, we ordered a bottle for the table.
Finally, dessert was served. Lori A and I got the Seadas al Miele, a traditional Sardinian puff pastry filled with sweet cheese, lightly fried and drizzled with bitter honey. Lori A said she expected the cheese would have been a little sweeter, but that the honey did the trick. I agreed. I’m not that big on really sweet desserts. Cornelia got the Tiramisu Cioccolato, chocoalte sponge cake, topped with layers of mascarpone and ladyfingers, finished with thin cracked chocolate. I tasted this and Cornelia was right, nothing special. Lori L ordered the Fragolata al Mirto con Sorbetto al Limone. This was a swwet strawberry salad topped with Mirto liqueur and lemon sorbet. The good looking waiter told her it might not be lemon sorbet, maybe raspberry. She ordered it anyway. But, hey, it’s either lemon or it’s something else, right? Wouldn’t they tell him what it was? Turned out to “not lemon”. She was a little bummed.
We really enjoyed our evening. The most important part of the meal was the entree and we all agreed it was the best part. It’s funny, because I asked around before going to Arcodoro and some people said it was really bad. One guy even said to go to Pizza Hut instead. Really? I can’t even imagine how a person could say that. It’s a beautiful dining room. The food was good. The service was great. I have this theory… I believe that some people only want “American” Italian food. No red sauce? Forget it. I’m not that way. In fact, I’m basically the opposite.
Next year, I’m sure we’ll do another girls night. We had a fabulous time! And that nightcap at the Palomar wasn’t a bad idea either!
