Road Trip in Italy at the Playground

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Another road trip at the Playground. www.playgrounddtsa.com.  This time to Italy.  Again a sold out dinner. I think I have only been to the Playground once when all 18 seats were not filled. They have the best food around and so innovative. Not for stuffy diners or picky people. It is for laid back diners that will be adventurous. This dinner is 14 courses. 

 We started out with a cocktail made with gin, pomegranate , lime sparkling water and a French herb liqueur called Genepi. Interesting flavors. Very refreshing

A plate of housemade Focaccia bread with a herb-olive oil blend for dipping was the starter.  So addictive.

Argula 2.0 salad with walnuts, cranberry and apple. Beautiful colors and dressed very lightly but just enough.

Ocean trout crudo with a smoked egg aoili, pickled shallots (takes 5 to 7 hours in a extremely low heat olive oil) pine nuts and chives. Fish melted in you mouth and the aoili was to die for. I ended up using the rest of my Focaccia bread to wipe up the sauce. 

Grilled a chilled Wagu flank carpaccio, raisin-caper puree and sunchoke chips. What can I say except it was so good.

Braised escarole and white beans. Had a panko style topping. Full of flavors.

Garlic confit risotto. No words can describe. Such a mild but bold garlic infused risotto. Never have I tasted risotto this good. Soft, creamy and garlic. Doesn't get any better than this.

Roasted Ocean Trout, seared, crispy skin with zucchini and vermouth butter. Light and delicate fish with a color very similar to salmon. Cooked to perfection

Baby eggplant, balsamic, caper berry and polenta. This was my least favorite dish. I am not a big eggplant fan so I am prejudiced.  But the polenta was great.

Gnocchi with mushrooms. Without a doubt the best gnocchi I have ever had. Light, moist and made with a gentle touch

Fioretto with pear truffle vin, buckwheat and cauliflower puree.The fried greens were a bit stemy but you could scrape off the tiny florets with your teeth. Fioretto is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower. Good dish and very interesting flavors

Short rib pasta with ricotta cream. . Braised short rib meat shredded on top of Pappardelle pasta . Classic Italian. Very flavorful and the ricotta cream was a real winner.

Then a palate cleanser before dessert.  A wine infused poached pear sorbet. Just a tad sweet and so refreshing. 

Two desserts tonight.  A Panna Cotta with sweet rhubarb and pistachios and then a Budding, HH cream and hazelnuts. It was a rich, thick dark chocolate pudding with a very heavy cream on top and hazelnuts.  A very rich ending to a very rich meal.

Along with the cocktail 6 wines were served with dinner. All Italian.

NV   Contra, Extra Brur Prosecco
2015 Manzone, Rossese Bianco
2013 Vigne Del Malina, Pinot Grigio
2010 Cocito, Barbaresco
2011 Lisini, Ugolaia, Brunello di Montalcino
NV   Quaglia, Moscato di Asti