Restaurant Review
14 Dec 2006

Davio's – Philadelphia

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December 13, 2006
Cuisine: Italian, Steakhouses

111 S 17th St, Philadelphia 19103
2nd Floor of the Provident National Bank

Phone: 215-563-4810
Website: www.davios.com

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Hors D’oeuvres
Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls, Spicy Ketchup
Mini Crab Cakes, Caper Aioli
Tomato & Mozzarella Bruschetta
Smoked Salmon, Lemon Mascarpone, Potato Chip

Antipasta Station
Marinated Vegetables, Cured Italian Meats, Imported Cheeses, Mixed Olives, Roasted Peppers, Focaccia Bread

Salad Station
Mixed Field Greens, Cucumber, Balsamic Vinaigrette
Davio’s Classic Caesar Salad, Homemade Croutons

Pasta Station
Penne, Applewood Smoked Chicken, Spinach, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Walnut Cream Sauce
Ricotta Stuffed Rigatoni, Rose Basil Sauce

Carving Station
Roasted Filet Mignon
Roast Pork Tenderloin Seasonal Accompaniments and Sauces (gargonzola, mushroom, red wine)

Sides
Roasted Asparagus
Polenta
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Dessert Station
Assortment of Davio’s Italian Desserts – Cheesecake, Lemon Tartlet, Praline Hazelnut Mousse cake, Pumpkin Cake, Chocolate Raspberry Cake, Chocolate Dipped Biscotti

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P/PV had our annual holiday gathering yesterday afternoon at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. As far as office parties go, this one was one of the best. The food was phenomenal, the band was festive, the room was gorgeous, and the company was good too.

The party began at noon, but I didn’t arrive until 12:30 because being fashionably late never goes out of style. When I arrived, the three-piece band was in full swing playing peppy holiday music, waiters were walking around with Hors D’oeuvres, an antipasta station was set up in the back of the room, and the bar was open with wine and top shelf liquors. I passed on the booze because I don’t drink my calories.

Appetizers: I was quickly offered a mini crab cake; the first of three or four. The crab cake was placed atop a crustless round of white bread and dabbed with a Caper Aioli on the bottom to adhere it to the bread. The crab cake was excellent – slightly crisp on the outside, large chunks of crab on the inside, and its natural flavors brought out by the aioli. Another appetizer standout was the Philly Cheesesteak Spring Rolls; I had two of those. A better name would have been the Philly Cheesesteak Taquito because it was deep fried. I liked everything about it – the meat was salty, the wrap was crisp, and the ketchup was spicy. Well done. I had one of the Smoked Salmon appetizers, which was pretty good. However, the potato chip had a very strong taste so it sadly outshined the more delicate Lemon Mascarpone and fish.

The antipasta station had a good selection of meats and cheeses, as well as fruits (berries and figs) and vegetables to complement the flavors. My favorite cheese was the smoked Gouda. The smoky flavor was divine. There were stronger cheese offerings as well, including two types of goat cheese. However, they were a bit too intense for lunchtime. I also really enjoyed the prepared mushrooms. My favorite cured meats were the salami and prosciutto.

Main Course: The salad, pasta, side dishes, and meat were served buffet-style. I passed on the salad because greens are a waste of precious space. I went with a piece of roasted filet mignon drizzled with the gargonzola sauce, a side of asparagus, and both types of pasta. The filet mignon was delicious; it made me appreciate cows all over again. I received an end piece of the roast, so it wasn’t as rare as I would have liked but tasty nevertheless. The gargonzola sauce was good, but not needed because the meat itself was fantastic. The asparagus was simply prepared. The pastas were excellent as well. Even though I hate penne as a pasta shape, I couldn’t complain about the accompaniments. I loved the sun dried tomatoes. The rigatoni was stuffed with ricotta cheese, which was creamy and mild. The rose basil sauce was the perfect sauce choice. I tried to go back for some polenta, but they were fresh out. So I moved on to dessert!

Dessert: The dessert offerings were AMAZING! I tried the pumpkin cake, cheesecake, lemon tartlet, and the praline hazelnut mousse cake. The cheesecake was decent, but nothing uber special. The lemon tartlet was very lemony which I loved, but the tart shell was a bit too tough. So I ate the filling and tossed the crust. My favorites were the pumpkin cake and the praline hazelnut mousse cake. The pumpkin cake had a lite, airy, pudding-like consistency. It tasted like whipped pumpkin pie filling. Mmm! The praline hazelnut mousse cake rocked my world. It consisted of three layers – the base layer was a flaky and crunchy praline cookie of sorts, the middle layer was a hazelnut mousse, and the top layer was a hazelnut gel. OMG. The three different textures worked incredibly well together and put Nutella to shame. What a wonderful note to end a spectacular feast!

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Recipe
09 Dec 2006

Escarole and Little Meatball Soup

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meatball soup 12

Minestra

The soup is delicate but filling at the same time, with its pasta and baby meatballs. Unless you have Soprano-size appetites, this is a main-dish soup. We’ve cut the recipe in half so it will fit in your soup pot.

  • 1/2 head escarole (about 1/2 pound)
  • 1 1/2 large carrots, chopped
  • 12 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 4 ounces ditalini or tubetti, or spaghetti broken into bite-size pieces
  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Meatballs

  • 1/2 pound ground veal or beef
  • 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/4 cup very finely minced onion
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Trim the escarole and discard any bruised leaves. Cut off the stem ends. Separate the leaves and wash well in cool water, especially the center of the leaves where soil collects. Stack the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1-inch strips. You should have about 4 cups.

Combine the escarole, carrots, and stock in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the escarole is almost tender, about 30 minutes.

meatball soup 12

To make the meatballs: Meanwhile, combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Shape the mixture into tiny balls, less than 1 inch in diameter.

To assemble: When the escarole is almost tender, stir in the pasta and return the soup to the simmer. Drop the meatballs into the soup. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until the meatballs and pasta are cooked, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve hot with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serves 6.

Recipe from The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker and Michele Scicolone

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Substitutions: Broth – used 1 lb. of escarole and 7 carrots to up the nutritional ante. Only used 8 oz. of broth to make room for extra veggies. Used macaroni. Meatballs – doubled the entire recipe. Used lean ground turkey, quick oats in place of bread crumbs, shallots in place of onions, and pre-grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe
09 Dec 2006

Blue Cornmeal Bread

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  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups blue cornmeal* or yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed, drained

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, pine nuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl to blend. Whisk milk, vegetable oil, eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl to blend. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until just blended. Fold in corn kernels. Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cut bread into 2-inch squares and serve warm.

*Blue cornmeal is available at natural foods stores and specialty foods stores.

Makes about 28 pieces.

Bon Appétit, November 2001

[For Printable Recipe Click Here]

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Substitutions: I halved the entire recipe, used two eggs, 1% milk instead of whole, 1% milk+lime juice in place of buttermilk, did not have any pinenuts, used applesauce in place of oil, 100% whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose.