For starters, I have to give major props to the host at St. Cecilia. I spoke to him three times on the phone to make our reservation, change our reservation, and finally confirm our reservation, and not only did I feel special because my name was already in their Ford Fry directory because I am some what of a Ford Fry groupie, I felt like we bonded and became friends in the whole process, but maybe that was just me. Once we finally met face to face at the restaurant, it was as if we were long lost pals at that point, and I'm pretty sure he gave us the best table in the restaurant as well as the best server.
There were six of us in our party, which gave us the opportunity to lavish ourselves in the many different courses and plates on the menu. We started the night off with some crudos. In a nutshell, raw, fresh, and tasty. I'm not a huge connoisseur of anything salmon, but I did like the salmon crudo with the pistachios. The fish was so fresh and clean tasting it's hard not to enjoy it.
King Salmon with Rhubarb and Pistachio
Crab with Black Truffle and Brioche
Yellowfin Tuna with Serrano, Basil, and Watercress
We then moved on to the Antipasti and ordered the octopus, which I am quickly becoming a huge fan of, and the burrata. The octopus was phenom. It was very tender and the charred, smokey flavor made it taste more like a piece of meat rather than a squid. We talked a lot about the burrata before it even got to the table trying to describe it to the others who had not yet tried this amazing cheese. While I really enjoyed this version of it with the sweet, tangy peach (I do love my Georgia peaches) and the porcini, I still compare it to the burrata the Boo and I had in New Orleans at Domenica (John Besh) and it just doesn't live up. Maybe my memory has put that amazing, gooey cheese on a pedestal, but I'm pretty sure it changed my life.
Octopus, Charred with Bean Salad
Burrata with Peach, Arugula, and Porcini Mushrooms
On to my favorite part of the menu, the pastas! The squid ink spaghetti was by far my favorite of the night quickly followed by the agnolotti, which is similar to ravioli, and these were stuffed with braised short ribs. I mean, come on. Stuffed with braised short ribs. The spaghetti was sweet from the crab and the tomato sauce, but also spicy from the chilies and not too rich. I love spicy tomato sauces on pasta, so this was right up my alley, but then they added crab so it was like on my street maybe even in my garage. If you've never has squid ink pasta, it is a must. The agnolotti (not pictured) was so savory with the red wine braised short ribs packed in the mini raviolis which were tossed with a brown butter sauce. Rich, but not over-powering.
Also the mushroom risotto was fabulous. There's something about mushrooms and creamy pasta. They are just meant to be. The lobster ravioli was a table favorite as well. It was creamy and brightened by the fresh veggies, but the handmade pasta was the star as it melted in your mouth.
The gnudi was definitely lacking. Gnudi is supposed to be similar to gnocchi or some-what like the filling of ravioli, which both sound delicious, but I could not get past the mealy consistency. I think it could have used more cream and less acid, which was all I could taste.
Mushroom Risotto
Squid Ink Spaghetti with Crab, Calabrian Chili, and Mint
Ravioli with Spring Peas, Spinach, Lobster, and Marscapone
Gnudi with Basil and Brown Butter
The entrees were just as surprising and delicious as the starters. I ordered the arctic char and the Boo went with the whole fish, which that night was sea bass. I must admit I made a rookie mistake ordering the arctic char and not knowing it was pretty much salmon, so I was pretty shocked to see the pink fish in front of me, but the fish and artichoke combo was surprisingly quite tasty. A bit too meaty for me after such a huge beginning to the meal, but good nonetheless. The whole fish was another level though. From the glorious presentation to the grilled flavors combined with the fruit and almonds, I couldn't stop eating it.
Arctic Char with Artichoke and Capers
Whole Grilled Sea Bass
Finally we topped the meal off with a sampling from the dessert menu. We pretty much tried 75% of the dinner menu, so why stop there? We didn't. Each dessert we ordered was so different, yet they were all good in there own right. The Budino di Cioccolata was like a chocolate mousse - light but creamy. The tart was rich, but the sweetness from the apricots and the creaminess from the ice cream made it well balanced. The apricot foam....I can't. Amazing. Lastly, the panna cotta with the strawberry gelato and balsamic drizzle was perfect. It looks big, but it was layered thin in the bowl, so you could spoon the perfect proportion of puddin', shortbread, and the sweet strawberry gelato. I kept changing my favorite dessert of the night after I took a bite of each one, so it's a toss up. I don't think you could go wrong with any of these.
Budino Di Cioccolata
Valrhona Dulcey Tart
Panna Cotta
We had such a great night at St. Cecilia with good friends, good service, and great food and wine. I don't think we could have asked for a better night. On to the next Ford Fry venture!
