Andrea, Refined Modern Italian in the Resort at Pelican Hill

In the luxurious universe of Newport Coast nestles a small exclusive world of Pelican Hill, where high class refinement and flawless service rule. Newly opened on November 26, 2008 is The Resort at Pelican Hill, an additional gem of new restaurants, spa, and resort accommodations complimenting the celebrated golf course and Pelican Hill Grill. It is an oasis, the epitome of Southern California coastal lifestyle at its best.

The resort’s signature fine dining is Andrea, an unpretentious, amicable, and relaxing restaurant presenting Northern Italian cuisine with a twist. The name refers to the influential Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio, who revolutionized western architect; his design sensibility is the inspiration for the resort’s architectural style. A lofty surrounding, an affable staff, plush furnishing, and a glorious panoramic view of heaven on earth are your first exposure as you enter the restaurant. Prepare to acquaint yourself with sophistication and grace at Andrea’s.

To continue the tradition of Italian authenticity, Andrea’s chef is the demure Gianluca Re Fraschini, a young Milanese resembling a Baroque scholarly poet with his fine features, blonde locks and sporting intellectual glasses. A career chef with a worldwide background, him and executive chef, Jean-Pierre Dubray, who holds an illustrious career with the Ritz-Carlton group, created the menu; however, recipes are Re Fraschini’s own. His concept for the cuisine is simplicity, resisting intricate dishes. The menu’s straightforward description avoids contrive excessive ingredient list. It gets to the point, just like the dishes. Here you won’t find useless garnish or wham bam designs kicking it up a notch or two. The food is not typical Italian with its heavy creamy sauces, mountain of melted cheese, and portion so massive you can’t see the color of the plate.

Guests are welcomed with an amuse-bouche, a one bite yummy morsel to awaken the taste buds. The beef carpaccio is a light and pleasant salad with broccolini, polenta croutons resembling skinny pita chips, and 18 month aged Parmigiano shavings which add to the robust flavor of the dish. For Burrata lovers, this imported Italian luscious cheese comes with a simple fresh arugula salad and tomato confit all dressed in the finest imported extra virgin olive oil. The risotto should be ordered to witness an interesting presentation to an otherwise familiar dish. For orders of two or more, your server brings out on a cart, a giant Parmigiano cheese wheel with an empty hole in the middle. This center is where the risotto is being mixed for flavor with the cheese shavings in which the server delicately scrapes. It is dished up in a personal sized sterling silver oval pot with a handle, a visually attractive and elegant way to serve plain looking food. Indeed, the risotto with mushroom and generous shavings of truffles with Bartolo wine deserves this classy treatment. The kitchen has a pasta room where the best Italian flour is used to make home made pasta, naturally dried, and temperature controlled to a perfect 68 degree. The tasty and very light ravioli filled with Ricotta and spinach with butter and sage sauce is one of the most popular dish along with the maltagliati with rock shrimp and Porcini mushrooms. The pasta has good texture and ingredients balanced in flavor and proportion. No guilt carb eating at Andrea’s; it’s almost spa cuisine-esque. The pan seared Turbot with white wine and young spinach and spring onion salad is honest and healthy. One tastes the fish in its true state as it is sparingly seasoned. With quality ingredient, there is no need to mask nature with excess. Sexy and simple food is the goal. Experiment with the selection of fine artisanal Italian cheese.

The Gorgonzola Dolce, Taleggio, and Tomino drizzled with honey are an eruption of hearty flavors. End the meal with the poached pear with white wine and home made toasted almond ice cream or ask your server the specialty for the evening’s Napoli pastry with gelato. The last complimentary treat from the chef is an assortment of sweet goodies including the decadent
chocolate truffles displayed on a 10 arm dessert tree, the perfect companion to your after dinner coffee or digestif. The limoncello from Capri is always a tradition to prolong the meal and an excuse to linger on hoping the night wouldn’t end. Perhaps another bottle of wine is called for since there are 1,200 bottles of wine to chose from but where else, mainly Italy.

The cuisine is very consistent with healthfulness and purity in mind. It blends perfectly with the warm understated elegance of the restaurant’s serene décor and ambience. This is truly one soigné establishment where guests will experience the seemingly effortless balance of basking in the magnificent sunset ocean view, enjoy beautiful live acoustic guitar, savor Re Fraschini’s delightful cuisine, and be spoiled by a dedicated staff. Andrea is a choice restaurant for an evening of quality in every sense, a perfect place to recharge.

Canaletto Ristorante Veneto Brings Authenticity to Newport Beach

There’s no longer a need to travel transatlantic to experience the exciting cuisine of Italy’s Veneto region. With its flagship restaurant in Las Vegas’ Venetian Hotel being the company’s most successful establishment, President and CEO of IL Fornaio Michael Beatrice and Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon bring their vision of authentic Venetian fare to Fashion Island.

This multi-lingual chef, born and raised in Marcon, Veneto, created Canaletto’s menu which is inspired by his homeland’s varied resources. Italy’s richest region, Veneto, has seven provinces in which each produce unique and wonderful culinary delights: mushrooms from the Dolomites, olive oil from Lago di Gardia, cheese from Asagio, asparagus from Bassano to games from Cortina. Fresh and quality organic ingredients in the menu reflect the abundance that is Mazzon’s epicurean passion.

Canaletto’s signature dishes include the famous Risotto Seppie Nere, a bold and flavorful black risotto made from Adriatic cuttlefish directly imported from Chioggia and its famous ink with shrimp and scallops. A diner had complimented Canaletto’s being better than the one he had eaten in Venice, and having traveled thrice in the magical city myself, I would have to concur. The kitchen, designed by Chef Mazzon, contains a Risottoria, a special station for preparing risottos. For seafood lovers, go visit the Mercato Veneto, a daily display of seafood just behind the restaurant’s second bar. Also, try the Vermicelli Cassopipa, a house made pasta with fish ragu, clams, mussels, and shrimp served tableside in a clay pot.

There are many chichetti, small Venetian appetizer bar foods (think Italian tapas), that are definitely worth sampling, as these authentic delicacies are to be enjoyed with Prosecco or Italian wine. Try some from the Valpolicella area, in Verona, the city of star crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Typical are the Sardee In Saor, a sweet and sour fried sardine dish and the Baccala ‘Alla Vicentina which is imported dry cod baked in milk. The texture is a juxtaposition of the firm fish and creamy polenta. The ubiquitous Calamaretti Fritti is a perpetual crowd pleaser. Polipo Con Patate, another delicious dish, is a tasty salad mix of chewy octopus, crunchy celery, and soft potato in olive oil and lemon juice. Canaletto cold smokes and cures its swordfish. The Carpaccio Di Spada is eaten rolled up as fresh artichokes and micro arugula nestles inside. If you’re feeling amatory, the fresh and clean tasting oysters are a must. If you just want to snack or use your hands, go for the very tasty Salumi, assorted cured meats of Prosciutto, Bresaola and such. Canaletto uses Berkel, the Ferrari of meat slicers, a manually operated machine that never heats up, hence the sliced meats don’t change flavor. With all this, served aside Parmigiano Reggiano and crispy bread sticks made on premise, you’re good to go. Being in IL Fornaio’s space guaranteed you’ll be requesting a second basket of freshly baked bread and rolls.

No meal is complete without dessert. The Sgroppino, a dialect meaning “untying the knot from the stomach”, is a palate cleanser or a refreshing way to end your hearty meal. Don’t judge a book by its cover as it is presented in a small wine glass. but the experience is anything but. Vodka, lemon sorbet, Prosecco, and a dash of cream sprinkled with fine coffee grinds, pack a strong “wow”. Not to be missed is the Crema Fritta. The Amaretto crumb fried ginger custard with lime sorbet is contradicting in its hot and cold, sweet and tart and Asian and European taste…don’t leave the restaurant without trying this sweet gem. Meaning “mouthwatering”, the Golosessi Veneti is 7 kinds of traditional home made rustic Italian cookies; the quantity symbolizing the 7 districts of Venice. Last but not least is from Chef Mazzon’s granny. The Tiramisu In Gondola is from Treviso’s oldest recipe. Mazzon instructed, “Close your eyes and taste the flavor”. I obeyed and never being a fan of this popular Italian dessert, was able to taste each component: the espresso, Mascarpone cheese, and rum dipped Lady Fingers. Tiramisu is simple and poor and made for the simple and poor, explained the chef. After opening my eyes, I said “delicioso”! I was converted.

The elegant restaurant’s 7,000 sqft. offers several relaxed indoor and al fresco dining areas in a warm and contemporary setting with fireplaces, hand painted murals, barrel vaulted ceiling, mosaic floor, and sleek Italian marble. The architectural material and tableware were imported from Italy, down to Mazzon’s selection of the salt and pepper shaker stand.

The service is exceptional as over 100 team members of servers, line chefs, chefs, and hosts boasts the company’s biggest hospitality and dining professionals. Canaletto strives to provide a gracious dining experience in offering authentic Venetian cuisine served by a welcoming staff in an inviting atmosphere…”the most authentic Italian dining experience outside of Italy.”

http://www.newportbeachmagazine.com/ January 2009 Issue

A Vegan's Nightmare

As a professional traveler of sort, I do my homework before I board the plane to my far flung destination. The most important research is finding the best eats.

I will hunt and trek far and wide to experience life's greatest pleasure: masticating foreign comestibles.

I purposely go to Bologna, Italy just to taste the food to see if it's all that plus a bag of chips. This city is renowned and celebrated for its cuisine. The meat Bologna, Bolognese sauce (meat sauce), the Parmagiano Reggiano cheese, the different types of pastas are all produced from this little old city of Bologna. Needless to say, there are many fine dining establishments which I must partake and to spend a small fortune so that I am fully satisfied in knowing that my life purpose has been fulfilled.

Diana is a famous old restaurant which is a must-go-to. It is not trendy nor contemporary but a Bolognese Institution.

I am not looking for schnazzy hotspots where Italian fashionistas frequent. On the contrary, I am looking for a restaurant where the old school fine diner go to get their fill. Diana epitomizes classic traditionalism at its finest. The servers, all male, are dressed in impeccable white jacket with black slacks and black tie. They are older gentlemen who pride in their work and more than likely have been at it for decades and decades as Italians usually have one job for life.

The ambiance is genuine classic old school. There is a coat check where I don't need to lug my heavy winter coat. The furnishings and decor are veritable European. The table setting is class. Real heavy cotton linen with napkins to match. Fine sturdy plate and glass. Solid oversized silverware. A plate of assorted most whimsical shaped Italian bread awaits on my dining table.

My server, Franco, arrives with a big handsome looking menu. You open it and it's all in Italian. Good sign. This ain't no tourist joint. I'm here to order the most traditional dish from Bologna. So I order the boiled assorted meat and organ, aptly named the Bollito Misto. This feast of a dish is a carnivore's delight or a vegan's nightmare. The chef comes out with a rolling serving cart with a huge kitchen pot containing the assorted animal carcass. He dishes up snouts, tongues, and other assorted organs and animal meats. I think to myself as he lovingly puts a suspicious looking blob of gelatanous meat on my plate, "hmmm....this doesn't look so hard to make..dump recycled animal parts in big pot of boiling water. Serve."

After he departed with his creation on wheels, I spoon up some green sauce on my plate next to the bland looking pale meats. "Okie dokie..let's try Miss Piggy's nose." I cut a bite size piece, tine in meat, raise fork and insert food in mouth. What happened after that unforgettable. The flavor was overwhelming! It's not a salt or sweet or tart issue. It's an intensity issue. That was one fucking strong tasting meat! Last time I had to actually remove food from my mouth was eating sausage meat in the former Soviet Union. These meats are not rancid nor bad...it's extremely strong and intense in its flavor. A definite acquired taste. I'd describe it as the pungency of strong body odor. Granted, the regular meats ie. non organs, are fine and tasty especially with their assorted sauces.

I'm satisfied. I came, I order, I ate. My job is done.