Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) After 28 years, Chef/Owner Steve DiFillippo is making his way back to his hometown with the opening of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in Lynnfield at the new Market Street Lynnfield shopping complex. Growing up in Lynnfield, DiFillippo’s passion for food began when he would rush home after long football practices to cook with his mom and learn all the DiFillippo family recipes passed down by his Italian grandmother.

“After opening Davio’s restaurants in multiple locations including Boston’s Back Bay, Chestnut Hill, Foxborough, Atlanta and Philadelphia, it is an honor to open in my own hometown. I always dreamed of opening my own restaurant in Lynnfield, this is where I grew up and is a very special homecoming for me.” – Steve DiFillippo

Under the leadership of DiFillippo, Culinary Director Rodney Murillo, Executive Chef Stephen Brown and General Manager Joe Buccieri, Davio’s Lynnfield will offer an array of daily lunch and dinner specials, while engaging guests with signature menu options, including Davio’s classics, fresh salads, handmade pastas, an a la carte section, Prime Brandt Beef and plated entrées.

The menu will include the following dishes ranging from $8 to $31: Tagliatelle Bolognese (braised veal, beef, pork, tomato sauce); Lobster Risotto (Asparagus, Fresh Herbs, Lobster Cream); Roasted Tomato Soup (goat cheese, chive crostini); Crispy Chicken Livers (port balsamic glaze, glass spinach, toasted pine nuts); Kobe Beef Meatball (San Marzano tomatoes) and Warm Spinach Salad (roasted peppers, portobello mushrooms, goat cheese, garlic, olive oil).

Pasta lovers can look forward to a selection of Farinacei (handmade pastas) such as Hand-Rolled Potato Gnocchi (organic mushrooms, basil, white truffle oil); Fettucine Carbonara (pancetta, egg, parmigiano, black pepper) and Spaghetti, Shrimp (hot chilies, white wine, lemon, olive oil) all prepared in house using the “La Monferrina” pasta machine imported from Italy. This new Technology allows for the production of delicious dry pasta in various shapes and sizes, all out of one machine.

While dining at the bar, Chef Stephen Brown has carefully crafted a selection of artisan, handmade pizzas. Priced from $12 to $16 and comprised of classic pizzas such as San Marzano Tomato (fresh mozzarella, basil); Prosciutto (fig jam, arugula, caramelized onions, shaved parmigiano) and Pepperoni. All of the handmade pizzas are cooked in the all-new wood stone oven. This oven heats up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, cooking the pizza evenly from the bottom and top simultaneously for a crisp and bubbly crust.

Davio’s Lynnfield’s beverage menu includes a vast selection of spirits, premium alcohol and refreshing mixers, in addition to an array of signature cocktails such as the Pompelmo (Absolut Ruby Red, St. Germain, Grapefruit Juice); Davio’s Inferno (Stoli Hot, Fresh Lime Juice, Splash of Red Pepper Flake-Infused Simple Syrup) and Melagrano (Reyka, Pama, Fresh Lime Juice, Cranberry Juice, Splash of Rhubarb Bitters) priced at $11. Offering nearly 250 labels, the varied wine collection is comprised of red, white and sparkling wines from Italy, France and the United States, 20 of which are available by the glass ranging in price from $9 to $16. Paying special attention to its Italian heritage, Davio’s Lynnfield has placed particular emphasis on sourcing from Italy’s Tuscany and Piedmont regions. Taking serious wine connoisseurs into account, a special reserve selection featuring over 20 red and white wines by the bottle are also available.

2) Every Monday night from September 2, the bar at Tavolo will become an enoteca whose theme is Cheap Flights to Italy.  Eclectic bottles of regional Italian wines -- drawn from the identical 20 regions of Italy that are explored each week at Tavolo'’s popular Regional Pasta Tour -- will be featured in combination with three small plates of matching food. Each week, a stamp will be made in the diner’s personal Wine Passport, stored at the restaurant. Cheap Flights to Italy with small plates, hosted by Tavolo sommelier Monica Bolduc, cost $25 per person.

3) Executive Chef Eric Gburski is adding signature southern comfort dishes to the existing “Burger Joint” lunchtime menu at Estelle’s Southern Cuisine in the South End. In addition to the five burger options and four gourmet salads, Chef Grburksi will offer a taste of the south with Po Boy’s and an array of authentic southern plates.

For starters, there are five options: Buttermilk Fried House Pickles ($5.25); Spicy Smoked Chicken Liver Deviled Eggs ($3.95); Tasso Ham Hushpuppies (orange-chile honey & parsley butter - $5.95); Buttermilk Fried Chicken Thigh (watermelon-radish salad & BBQ sauce -$6.95); and, Traditional Sausage & Smoked Chicken Gumbo ($8.95).

Chef Gburski’s Po Boy’s are served with house-cut fries and a variety of sauces and will be as follows: Estelle’s Monte Cristo (smoked turkey, tasso ham, gruyere cheese & red onion jam - $11.95); Slow Roasted Brisket & Smoked Provolone (pickled hot pepper relish & roasted garlic aioli - $10.95); and, Fried Gulf White Shrimp (green tomato – corn chow chow & remoulade slaw - $12.95).

Savory southern entrees include: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Platter (sausage gravy, 2 cheese mac n’ cheese & seared greens - $17.95); and, Cajun Cornmeal Crusted Catfish (pecan-parsley relish, red beans n’ rice & garlic seared greens -$19.95).

Estelle’s is open for lunch service Monday through Saturday from 11:30am to 5:00pm.

4) On Wednesday, September 11, at 6:30pm, Ristorante Olivio, located in Arlington, will host a four- course Italian wine dinner in conjunction with North of Boston Wine Week. The all-inclusive meal ($49 per person + tax and gratuity) consists of four courses with specially paired wines.  

MENU:
Antipasto
Carpaccio di Vitello (Charred veal tenderloin carpaccio, shaved parmigiano reggiano, capers, zest of lemon and celery, drizzled lemon with juice and white truffle oil)
Wine: Alfredo & Luca Roagna Dolcetto d’Alba (Piedmont)

Primi
(Choice of One)
Tortellini (Homemade sweet corn tortellini, with lobster meat, shaved zucchini, roasted cherries tomatoes, lobster and fresh herb broth)
Wine: Villa Matilde Falerno del Massico Bianco (Campania)
or
Agnolotti (Homemade beef short rib Agnolotti, with fried zucchini, brown butter, shaved parmigiano and toasted bread crumbs)
Wine: Ascheri Barbera d’Alba (Piedmont)

Secondi
(Choice of One)
Filetto di Manzo (Filet Mignon, potato mash, crispy pancetta, braised rainbow chard, and Valpolicella reduction)
Wine: Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Veneto)
or
Spigola con Salmoriglio (Sea Bass, with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, fresh oregano and lemon, artichokes and zucchini)
Wine: Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Tuscany)

Dolce
Sicilian Cake (Rum cake, ricotta, chocolate, peaches, strawberries, whipped cream & pistachios)
Wine: Le Serra Moscato D’asti

Reservations recommended by calling (781) 648-2300.