Dan’s Papers October 15, 2010
FOOD & DINING danshamptons.com Page 43
Restaurant Review: Tutto il Giorno By Susan M. Galardi Food trends and hot chefs come and go. Like “purple is the new black,” seasonal diversions ultimately become just that – diversions. We remember the foam sauces and sun-dried tomato crazes as fondly as we recall the gold lame dickie that hung in our closets. But there’s a reason the dickie and the purple coat languish in the closet while the classic little black dress endures. Thank goodness for runway designers and inventive chefs with wild palates – we have both groups here on the East End. But ultimately, it’s wonderful to go to a restaurant where everything works, where classic combinations and a mature food sensibility take the reigns. That was our experience of Tutto il Giorno in Sag Harbor. Each element of each dish worked alone and they all worked together. And if you take a little from this plate and a little from that, it also worked. Which doesn’t mean the food is monochromatic which is not the case at all. Each dish is planned and executed with a refinement, yet the sensibility is consistent. The restaurant reminds me of the best little places in Venice that you happen into – with a casual atmosphere that belies what’s to come. Tutto is very Italian, with its outdoor garden dining area in eyeshot of the Sag Harbor Marina, and simple yet elegant “country” décor inside that includes white wainscoting, buff yellow walls, exposed whitewashed beams traversing the cathedral ceiling, and my favorite element, a long family style table right out of Big Night that probably seats 16. And now, the food. Antipasti are $11-19, pastas are $21-26, entrees $27-$39, and sides $10. The prices aren’t low and the
Pane Carasau, like the one served at Tutto portions aren’t “family style,” but the quality is lovely. And the restaurant has added a $30 prix fix three days a week, with wines at $9 a glass. We started with a side, Pane carasau, a large round of flat crunchy bread/cracker the size of a charger, generously drizzled with oil, rosemary and sea salt. Very nice to nibble on. The antipasti offerings are very interesting, ranging from tuna tartare to burrata to kobe beef carpaccio. We went easy with the Tritata salad – a masterful, flavorful combination of arugula, endive, asparagus, hearts of palm rounds, fresh lima beans, and black olives, which made the whole thing pop. Among three of us, we shared two pastas, and both get gold stars. The Rigatoni was made with crumbled hot sausage, fresh crunchy baby peas, in an absolutely delicious, well-balanced vodka sauce. Buffalo milk ricotta and apple ravioli in braised lamb ragu was so satisfying. The mildly sweet filling of the silky ravioli, set against the tender chunks of pleasantly chewy lamb in a red wine sauce was a winning combination. For Secondi Piatti, we tried two fish dishes. The
Branzino (wild sea bass) was poached in wine sauce with fresh tomatoes and served with fresh sautéed spinach. It’s just what you’d hope for with such a dish: fresh, high quality ingredients simply prepared. The Ippoglosso – what a nice name for halibut – was pan seared with a delicate mound of fresh pea shoots on top, and just enough sea salt granules. The sauce was a reduction of fallegro, a light white wine, plus a hint of honey, making for a lovely salty/sweet balance. The Ippoglosso was seared with just enough crunch, moist inside. For dessert, we tried bomboli – round fried dough that was a sophisticated version of zeppoli – no grease, not overwhelmed by sugar. It came with a small bowl of bittersweet chocolate that had a little spice to it. The mixed berry tart – a stretch for this time of year – was actually quite good in terms of the freshness of the blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. They sat on a layer of fine crèème anglaise, in a nice crust that was almost like a pizzelle. The wine list at Tutto is largely Italian and nicely chosen. The Fallegro, that nice light white with a bit of a sparkle, was a perfect accompaniment to the food. For reds, we went with recommendation for the Barbera d’alba, nice and with a spice, and the Dolcetto – the name says it all. Wines by the glass are $14/15. If money is no object, go anytime to Tutto for a very high end Italian meal. If there is an object, go Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday for the $30 prix fixe and 30% off wine. Tutto Il Giorna. Dinner Wednesday through Sunday; lunch Sat./Sun. 6 Bay St., Sag Harbor. 631-725-7009.
G N I W O H 12/5/10 S L A I C E P S
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