Bluefin Tuna Dinner at Tonno (Wakefield): Can't Get Any Fresher!

It's only natural that a restaurant named "Tonno," an Italian word for "Tuna," would host a special bluefin dinner, accompanied by a tuna butchery demo. 

Back in 2016, Chef/Owner Anthony Caturano (of Prezza fame) opened Tonno, an Italian Seafood restaurant, in Gloucester. And then in 2018, Chef Caturano opened a second location of Tonno, in Wakefield. The concept of Tonno is to feature "coastal Italian seafood and other treasures from land and sea. The culinary program is designed to showcase Italian seafood classics, with nightly specials that reflect the catches of the day from the local waters." From the start, I was a fan of the cuisine of the Wakefield location of Tonno, and as it was only a short distance from my home, it was convenient.  

Last week, Chef Caturano held a multi-course Bluefin Tuna Dinner at Tonno, and also conducted a butchery demo of the tuna (which is pictured above). The tuna was originally about 6 1/2 feet long, although the head had already been removed before the demo. About 80% of the tuna yields meat, which is certainly a significant proportion. As it's relatively early in the bluefin season, the fish was a bit leaner, which is good for restaurants that want to prepare tuna steaks. 

Here's a ten minute video of Chef Caturano butchering the bluefin, which was certainly fascinating as he explained the process while he worked. Plus, you knew that you would soon after receive dishes made from the tuna you just watched being prepared. 

After the tuna was almost completely butchered, you can see the end result above. However, there was still meat on the tuna, between the bones, and Chef Caturano used a spoon to remove some of it. The rest was likely removed back in the kitchen as it would have been a laborious, but worthwhile, effort to remove all of it by spoon.  

To accompany the bluefin, I opted for a Dolcetto, a lighter-style Italian red wine, and it worked well, especially with the pasta course and the grilled tuna steak. 

We began our dinner with a complimentary course, some of the tuna that had been scooped out, from between the bones, with crostini. It was silky and flavorful, a tasty way to begin.

The First Course was then Tuna Belly Crudo, with fennel, radish, cucumbers, pickled red fresno peppers, chive oil, and a blood orange vinaigrette. The Crudo slices were firmer and a bit chewier, and the citrus flavors, with a touch of heat, made a nice accompaniment.  

The Second Course was a plentiful mound of Tuna Tartare with a chive oil and crostini. Again, the small chunks were silky and flavorful, almost melting in your mouth. The crostini added a nice textural element. 

The Third Course was Rigatoni Pasta, with seared tuna, tomato, black olives, and capers. The house-made pasta was prepared al dente, and had a pleasant firmness. The sauce complemented the seared tuna pieces and there was a pleasing salty element from the olives and capers. 

The Fourth Course was a Grilled Tuna Steak with heirloom tomatoes, fennel puree, and chive oil. Again, this was a hearty portion of tuna, and it was tender and delicious, accented by the chive oil, with a nice light char. 

For Dessert, we enjoyed Strawberries with mascarpone whipped cream and a balsamic glaze, and a small biscotti. Fresh and sweet, this was a tasty summer treat, and a nice ending to the tuna dinner. 

Overall, this was an excellent dinner, with plenty of delicious bluefin tuna, which couldn't have been any fresher. The butchery demo was educational and interesting, and more people should understand more about how their food is prepared. The five-course dinner cost $165 per person (which included tip), and drinks were a la carte. Kudos to Chef Caturano for hosting such a fun and tasty event. Check out Tonno, in Wakefield or Gloucester, to enjoy their cuisine.