Out of every restaurant I have tried so far, this has to be one of my favorites. I went for lunch courtesy of my friend Elsi on a Friday afternoon. I had made a reservation earlier in the week with no problems. I walked in and Elsi was already seated at the bar waiting for me. Elsi was having a nice glass of wine and the bar stools were comfortable (i.e. backs on the chairs and foot rests) so we opted to stay and have our lunch there instead of at our reserved table. The bar fills up the entire front of the restaurant with an El shaped curve by the front door which allows for a nice view of the entire restaurant so I could people watch which I love to do. A favorite past time of mine is sitting and watching strangers pass and trying to guess, or make up my own scenario, as to what the relationship is of the group or couple who has walked by. Anyway, Osteria Morini was filled without being packed and the crowd was a nice diverse crowd of people. I actually ran into a regular customer of mine who was also sitting having lunch at the bar.
Elsi and I ordered from the restaurant week menu, which some might argue is not a fair test of a restaurants true talents but I disagree. If a chef is a good chef everything and anything you order should be fantastic and flavorful which I found to be true of what we ordered. Elsi and I both ordered the Erbazzone Reggiano (spinach filled pastry, smoked ham, parmigiano) which was like a cross between a quiche and a spinach pie. It was delicious!!! The saltiness of the ham combined with the creaminess of the cheese all inside a flaky pastry crust was enough to make you want a whole pie to yourself. For our second course I had the Gramigna with sausage ragu and parmigiano. Elsi had the Pollo Cacciatore (chicken, tomato, mushrooms, peppers, onions and pancetta). Again, both items were amazing. My pasta was the right balance of sauce to pasta with both being standouts. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the ragu was seasoned well. Elsi, who is a notoriously picky eater (sorry Elsi, but you know I am right) was very happy with her chicken. The dish was a lovely stew of chicken, mushrooms and onions all on top of creamy polenta. For our dessert we ordered the tiramisu and the Italian hot chocolate. The tiramisu was an individual ramekin serving and again was delightful. The lady fingers weren't soggy and the whole dish wasn't too sweet and I devoured the whole thing without any guilt. The Italian hot chocolate was something I still dream about. The drink, which was not a drink at all but a thick and creamy chocolate soup served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and some biscuits, was other-worldly.
Osteria Morini is one of those restaurants that will now be on my list of places to recommend to people or suggest when I am having dinner with friends. That is what has become so much fun about this project, going to restaurants I probably would not have gone to otherwise and finding a gem.
"Esse nufesso qui dice male di macaruni -- Who speaks badly of Macaroni is a fool."-Italian proverb
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