December
2002
Baldassari
Regency brings the best cuisine to the 'Burg
By
Joe Emanski
It's all too rare occasion when the editorial staff of the Trenton
Downtowner takes advantage of an opportunity for a night on the
town, but when we heard about Baldassari Regency's fall wine dinner,
a special evening event with one of Washington, D.C.'s most celebrated
Italian chefs, Cesare Lanfranconi, we decided to shut everything
down, gather the spouses, and head over to Chambersburg. Chef
Cesare's Ristorante Tosca was recently named new restaurant of
the year in Washington for 2002 and when we saw members of the
Trenton Marriott's cooking staff anxiously awaiting the start
of the evening's meal, we knew we were going to experience something
special.
It's no surprise to frequenters of the 'Burg to learn that, after
the cocktail reception, we sat down at our banquet table and were
immediately welcomed and treated like extended family by the evening's
host, Paul Baldassari, who warmly greeted the roomful of diners
with a few stories as he kicked off the dinner. The evening's
co-stars-the amusing Chef Enzo Febbraro and the rest of the cooking
staff as well as the stellar wait staff-stood by as Paul introduced
them and then as Chef Cesare explained the night's menu.
The
five courses of chestnut soup with lobster, ravioli, risotto,
beef tenderloins and citrus-tinged cannoli were an experience.
The risotto topped with minced truffles easily offered the aroma
of the night for my nose, the delicate soup perhaps the most profound
flavors, but all five dishes delivered a culinary experience that
should not have been missed.
Even if you did miss the October 30 dinner, you still have a chance
to catch another one of Baldassari Regency's fine guest chefs
before the year is out. On December 4, The Baldassari family and
Chef Enzo, of Filomena Ristorante also in Washington, D.C., extend
an invitation to you to experience the tradition of Festa dei
Sette Pesci-the Feast of the Seven Fish. Antipasti will include
marinated fresh anchovy, battered shrimp with arugula, tuna carpaccio
and a chilled calamari salad. The salad course will feature Dover
sole and Sardinian Bottarga, while the pasta course will include
a ragu of imported seafood.
A casserole of salmon, shiitake mushrooms and purple potato in
a baby artichoke puree will complete the main courses, followed
by a dessert of crunchy sfogliatelle (a pasta) filled with ricotta
cheese and candied fruit and served with Chantilly cream and marinated
red cherries. Coffee and tea will be served afterward and each
course will be accompanied by wine.
The cost for attending this feast is $75 per person all-inclusive
and reservations are required. Call (609) 392-1280 to reserve
your seat or for more information. You can also visit them on
the Web at www.baldassari.com.
Baldassari Regency is located at 145 Morris Avenue.
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