Saltimboca: cuisine over decor

Two years had elapsed since I first reviewed Restaurante Saltimbocca and their everevolving menu, so I felt it was time to once more put the culinary skills of Chef Franchesco under the magnifying glass and see what has transpired during this period.

To start our repast, Bruschette al Formaggio ($5.90) consisted of warm slices of just-toasted Italian bread slathered with a thick layer of rich marinated cheese. This description says it all...warm bread, thick layer, cheese...they were delicious. So much so, that a second order for the more traditional fresh chopped tomato version was ordered and enjoyed with a glass of wine from their well balanced list. A generous plate of Carpaccio di Filetto e Parmigiano ($10.90) arrived next, was doused with fresh olive oil and then consumed in an appreciative silence. The tartness of the citrus marinade was nicely paired with the rich meaty flavor of the "raw" beef and punctuated by the bite of freshly shaved parmesan cheese.

Vongolle alla Marinara ($8.90) appeared as a large bowl filled with succulent steamed clams soaking in a rich, white-wine based sauce. Luckily there was ample bread to soak up the remaining broth after the clams were consumed. Again, a simple dish that can reach new heights when prepared with fresh ingredients and a light culinary touch. Overdo any one ingredient, cook a few seconds too long, or use anything but the best ingedients and all is lost. In this case, all was consumed! A final, again seemingly simple appetizer that must be tried, is Funghi Trifolati con Parmigiano ($9.90). Take freshly sliced Portobello mushrooms, sauté in the best olive oil with fresh garlic, sprinkle with quality parmesan, and serve hot. Simple? Yes...and incredibly delicious.

While my party discussed the appetizers we had consumed and shared another glass of wine, the main courses began to arrive and it was "back to work". The first dish, Tagliatelle alla Boscaiola ($14.90), consisted of a large portion of the pasta we had just watched the cooks roll out (a window overlooks all the kitchen activity), and thickly topped with a cream sauce consisting of bacon, homemade Italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms and thickly diced tomatoes. The pasta was al dente, the sauce rich, the sausage spicy, redolent of fresh herbs, and the overall dish incredibly delicious. Next on the menu was Gnocchi del Casaro ($11.90). As with the pasta, the gnocchi was freshly made, firm to the bite and constructed in such a way that each little morsel captured the rich cream and cheese sauce to produce a winning combination of flavors and textures. Topped with toasted slivered almonds to add yet another layer of flavor and texture, this dish was a decided winner all around the table.

Opting for something different, I decided to try Melanzana alla Mammasantissima ($9.90). This agesold Italian recipe took fresh eggplant, stuffed it with ground pork and beef, then baked it"the old fashioned way". Served with caponata, this dish was a table favorite from the very first bite. The pungent, earthy taste of baked eggplant infused with the deep accent of perfectly seasoned meat produced a culinary delight rich in both flavors and textures.

The restaurant’s decor, however, is definitely not on a par with its excellent food, the impression being that money is better spent on the freshest and finest of ingredients rather than on superficial looks. This may be true, but I can’t help but wondering what a difference it would make if a decorator were to be given the order to make the restaurant’s interior match the cuisine being served. The result would be, I am sure, a visual and culinary delight. It’s already the latter.

Saltimbocca is definitely a niche restaurant...a haven for those wanting to escape the sameness of canned ingredients, bitter red sauces poured over massed-produced pasta, all prepared by cooks who wouldn’t know real Italian cooking if it was put in front of them. But you don’t have to believe me...try it for yourself.