photo by Christine Abbott
Pasta factory: Italian eatery Taverna Corvina serves satisfying small plates
The now ubiquitous restaurant small plate— too often expressed as a fussy gravity-defying appetizer—may, like Wall Street bonuses and SUVs, finally be downsizing. Taverna Corvino’s poached egg on asparagus is a perfect tapas for the times: a few crisp spears topped by a jiggling orb that, once punctured, sends a gush of yolk to pool with tangy sherry vinaigrette. The dish is easily supper, especially when paired with a bibb lettuce salad draped in salty strips of salami and crunchy radish slices, or even a (small) plate of tagliatelli sticky with Gorgonzola cream and dotted with chewy chestnuts. There’s no appetizer list at Corvino. Instead, each dish on the menu—very loosely adapted from traditional Italian-style menu categories—is offered in two sizes: a small plate that’s more generous than a standard starter, and a seriously large plate (quadruple the portion and around triple the price) that’s a good deal for family-style dining. The madeto-order veal lasagna is worth the wait: Baked in an iron skillet, the chewy pasta is layered with hunks of ground meat and sweet ricotta. And grilled octopus is pleasantly charred, spiky legs curled atop garlicky escarole with a sweet syrup of aged balsamic.
Chris Paternotte, formerly of Vin in Towson, has landed gracefully here, in a space (most recently Junior’s Wine Bar) that seems suited as much to his talents as the times. The décor is simple: stone floors, a dark wood bar, and a back room to accommodate spillover and special events such as “Winesday,” denoting wine tasting specials each Wednesday. Wine is clearly a priority, although the list is not extensive; about two-thirds of the offerings are Italian. There’s also an offbeat beer selection that includes Via Emilia, Peroni, and Moretti, along with Belgian and German brews. The place easily handles the Federal Hill crowd: It’s a convivial after-work watering hole that can morph into more as the night wears on. You can grab an overstuffed panini at the bar or share platters of pasta and lamb chops with friends. Either way, be sure to finish out the evening with a rich tiramisu or a plate of zeppole—sugary fried dough dipped in chocolate sauce. (Lunch and dinner daily. 1117 S. Charles St.; 410-727-1212; www.taverna corvino.com.)
reviewed
eat/drink
Taverna Corvino
—Martha Thomas
So what’s an “alizée”? Mr. Wikipedia says it’s either the feminine of “alizé”—a northeasterly trade wind that blows across the Caribbean— or an adorable French pop starlet. Which inspired the new restaurant at the Inn at the Colonnade? Hard to say, but the hotel eatery has certainly been buffeted by some erratic breezes lately: After the Polo Grill ended its fourteen-year run in 2002, several succeeding tenants have struggled to update the Grill’s clubby power-prep vibe. This year the space was rebranded as Alizée, a “boutique bistro and wine bar” with a French-Asian fusion theme (complete with “fushi” rolls) and an emphasis on wine (which is priced at retail). That incarnation lasted only months; in August, current owner Richard Naing brought in chef Christian DeLutis, late of Dogwood and the Wine Market. The fushi is history, and the French accent now gets a meatier note, with prominent roles for pork and game and charcuterie. The dining room itself remains largely unchanged, a cool maroon space that, as on a recent midweek evening, can look lonely when underpopulated. DeLutis’ menu feels a bit like a deconstructed riff on vintage Manhattan hotel dining: You’ll find such classics as sweetbreads and steak tartare and onion soup, but the soup is a consommé, not a cheese-draped crock,
and the tartare, in a nod to molecular gastronomy fans, is crowned with a spherified orb of Worcestershire sauce. A crab fritter floats atop a well-balanced peach gazpacho; white truffle lends a whisper of earthiness to an elegant radicchio-based Caesar. But other dishes fail to fully live up to the allure of their premises. A hefty shank of Kurobuto pork, cooked in the sous vide technique, arrived nicely crisped and fork-tender, but interest in the largely unadorned meat eventually faded, and its side of crisp house-made sauerkraut was almost medicinal with caraway overload. Excess seasoning likewise marred a beautiful piece of cod in a way-salty horseradish crust, paired with a smoked-eel “coddie” with flying-fish-roe foam—a lively but unrelentingly briny combo. This is ambitious, risk-taking fare priced on the high side, and thus doubly disappointing when it doesn’t quite come together. But given that most local hotels now settle for feeding their guests in anonymously casual tavern-like contrivances, kudos to Alizée for gambling on something more challenging— and sometimes pulling it off. (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily; brunch Sun. 4 W. University Pkwy.; 443-449-6200; www.alizee baltimore.com.)
photo by Christine Abbott
Alizée
Seeing red: Alizée plays a new tune with a new chef.
—David Dudley w w w. u r b a n i t e b a l t i m o re . c o m o c t o b e r 0 9
73