Reviewed by a Galpal
A Galpal Review - DaPietros
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Here's what Kristen penned about Westport's beloved Da Pietro's.
It's the end of truffle season in Tuscany and I missed it again. What's a Galpal to do? Head on over to DaPietro's in downtown Westport to get my fix. From a mouthwatering truffle dish that graces their homepage to the truffle-tasting dinners that run periodically, this is a restaurant that celebrates the truffle. But make no mistake; everything they prepare is sheer indulgence.
DaPietro's style is rather understated. The building itself is easy to miss. With only 9 tables, it's a cozy establishment with an air of exclusivity and one of the last great displays of old world charm. A reason to get dressed up again. With an intimate setting, lamps on every table, fine polished silverware, and Andrea Bocelli playing in the background, it exudes a sophistication that's hard to come by these days. A splash of quirkiness tops off the look with the eclectic mix of pictures, chicken figurines and an air conditioner circa 1980.
Although an extensive wine list is offered (try 800 ), I kicked off the evening with a glass of easy to drink house white and my husband had his signature Grey Goose on the rocks with olives. Hot dinner rolls were immediately delivered to our table. They were flaky on the outside and moist and chewy in the middle. Both butter and olive oil were available for flavor, which is a nice touch, being that many restaurants offer only one or the other. My husband appreciated the plate of marinated ripe olives as well.
For starters, we tried the Poached Jumbo Lump Crabmeat in Open-Faced Lasagna with Saffron Sauce. This dish had chunks of crabmeat in a gooey, delectable sauce with a subtle cheese-like texture; almost what seafood fondue might be. The crab was so unbelievably fresh; it might as well have been August. A hands down winner!
We also had the appetizer special which was Homemade Smoked Salmon over Mixed Greens. If you're in the mood for something light and refreshing, this is the ticket. The salmon was cut proportionally, had great consistency, and was not at all fishy. Little lemon wedges circled the plate and the mixed greens played nicely with a lemon vinaigrette.
For his entree, my husband ordered the Pasta with Diced Lamb in a Red Wine Sauce. This dish was very tasty and similar to that of a Bolognese sauce. The lamb was delicious and extremely tender.
I ordered the Pasta Special, Homemade Fettuccini with White Truffles. After all, this is what I came for. This rich dish had a heap of pasta in a buttery sauce with a hint of melded cheese and topped off with shaved white truffles. It was delicious and decadent, although there's no need for additional salt, which is something I almost always add.
Both entrees were hearty, great cold weather dishes. Pastas were al dente – cooked to perfection. A cup of shredded parmigiano reggiano with a little spoon was left at our table to be used as needed throughout our meal. Again, another nice touch that you don't see too often.
We finished off the evening with the Crème Brulee and a glass of Limoncello.
The sugar topping on the crème brulee was a little thicker than I prefer, although the taste of burnt sugar was delightful. The custard was great and reminded me of ricotta - another food famous for its amazing texture.
We've sampled many a limoncello and most were either too warm or had too much syrup. DaPietro's version however was slightly sweet and icy cold. In short, it was the best we've ever had, which is not at all surprising being that the owner himself was born not too far from the limoncello capital.
All in all, we had a great evening and admittedly we were happy that we didn't have to travel far to experience a slice of Italia. Hopefully next year, I'll finally make it out to Tuscany to partake in all that wine country has to offer. In the meantime, there's always our friends at DaPietro's.
MVD (Most Valuable Dish)
The Poached Jumbo Lump Crabmeat in Open-Faced Lasagna with Saffron Sauce
GALPAL TIP
For the budget or diet conscious, order pasta for your entrée, but as an appetizer portion.
THE STATS
Lunch: appetizers $6.95 - $9.95; entrees $12.95 - $18.95. Dinner: appetizers $9.95 - $15.95; entrees $23.95 - $35.95. Four and five course dinners $65 - $75 available Monday - Thursday evenings.
THE 411
36 Riverside Avenue, Westport
(203) 454-1213; Reservations highly recommended
Hours: Lunch is served Tuesday – Friday from 12:00 - 2:00pm.
Dinner is served Monday - Saturday from 5:00 - 10:00pm.
SPECIAL EVENTS
•Truffle-Tasting Dinners (next one available early December; only two seats left!)
•Wine-Tasting Dinners
•Wine-Producers' Dinners
•Wild-Game Dinners
*Additional information can be found on their website, dapietros.com
It's the end of truffle season in Tuscany and I missed it again. What's a Galpal to do? Head on over to DaPietro's in downtown Westport to get my fix. From a mouthwatering truffle dish that graces their homepage to the truffle-tasting dinners that run periodically, this is a restaurant that celebrates the truffle. But make no mistake; everything they prepare is sheer indulgence.
DaPietro's style is rather understated. The building itself is easy to miss. With only 9 tables, it's a cozy establishment with an air of exclusivity and one of the last great displays of old world charm. A reason to get dressed up again. With an intimate setting, lamps on every table, fine polished silverware, and Andrea Bocelli playing in the background, it exudes a sophistication that's hard to come by these days. A splash of quirkiness tops off the look with the eclectic mix of pictures, chicken figurines and an air conditioner circa 1980.
Although an extensive wine list is offered (try 800 ), I kicked off the evening with a glass of easy to drink house white and my husband had his signature Grey Goose on the rocks with olives. Hot dinner rolls were immediately delivered to our table. They were flaky on the outside and moist and chewy in the middle. Both butter and olive oil were available for flavor, which is a nice touch, being that many restaurants offer only one or the other. My husband appreciated the plate of marinated ripe olives as well.
For starters, we tried the Poached Jumbo Lump Crabmeat in Open-Faced Lasagna with Saffron Sauce. This dish had chunks of crabmeat in a gooey, delectable sauce with a subtle cheese-like texture; almost what seafood fondue might be. The crab was so unbelievably fresh; it might as well have been August. A hands down winner!
We also had the appetizer special which was Homemade Smoked Salmon over Mixed Greens. If you're in the mood for something light and refreshing, this is the ticket. The salmon was cut proportionally, had great consistency, and was not at all fishy. Little lemon wedges circled the plate and the mixed greens played nicely with a lemon vinaigrette.
For his entree, my husband ordered the Pasta with Diced Lamb in a Red Wine Sauce. This dish was very tasty and similar to that of a Bolognese sauce. The lamb was delicious and extremely tender.
I ordered the Pasta Special, Homemade Fettuccini with White Truffles. After all, this is what I came for. This rich dish had a heap of pasta in a buttery sauce with a hint of melded cheese and topped off with shaved white truffles. It was delicious and decadent, although there's no need for additional salt, which is something I almost always add.
Both entrees were hearty, great cold weather dishes. Pastas were al dente – cooked to perfection. A cup of shredded parmigiano reggiano with a little spoon was left at our table to be used as needed throughout our meal. Again, another nice touch that you don't see too often.
We finished off the evening with the Crème Brulee and a glass of Limoncello.
The sugar topping on the crème brulee was a little thicker than I prefer, although the taste of burnt sugar was delightful. The custard was great and reminded me of ricotta - another food famous for its amazing texture.
We've sampled many a limoncello and most were either too warm or had too much syrup. DaPietro's version however was slightly sweet and icy cold. In short, it was the best we've ever had, which is not at all surprising being that the owner himself was born not too far from the limoncello capital.
All in all, we had a great evening and admittedly we were happy that we didn't have to travel far to experience a slice of Italia. Hopefully next year, I'll finally make it out to Tuscany to partake in all that wine country has to offer. In the meantime, there's always our friends at DaPietro's.
MVD (Most Valuable Dish)
The Poached Jumbo Lump Crabmeat in Open-Faced Lasagna with Saffron Sauce
GALPAL TIP
For the budget or diet conscious, order pasta for your entrée, but as an appetizer portion.
THE STATS
Lunch: appetizers $6.95 - $9.95; entrees $12.95 - $18.95. Dinner: appetizers $9.95 - $15.95; entrees $23.95 - $35.95. Four and five course dinners $65 - $75 available Monday - Thursday evenings.
THE 411
36 Riverside Avenue, Westport
(203) 454-1213; Reservations highly recommended
Hours: Lunch is served Tuesday – Friday from 12:00 - 2:00pm.
Dinner is served Monday - Saturday from 5:00 - 10:00pm.
SPECIAL EVENTS
•Truffle-Tasting Dinners (next one available early December; only two seats left!)
•Wine-Tasting Dinners
•Wine-Producers' Dinners
•Wild-Game Dinners
*Additional information can be found on their website, dapietros.com
