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Rizzoni’s for TTRW2019

By admin,

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Spoiler Alert: My guests Marisa Joseph of The Pallet and David Wears of Foodie Run TT were just as shocked as I was when halfway through the meal we realized we didn’t order any meat… and we didn’t miss it. Yo! That is how on point the flavors at Rizzoni’s were. We did the foodie thing and ordered different items so we could share and enjoy as much of the Trinidad & Tobago Restaurant Week 2019 menu as possible. But what we really learned was how much value Rizzoni’s menu is for $300. We entered a Coney Island of flavors and left full and with doggie bags for later. Here’s how it went down.

My call for the appetizer was the Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup. A warm bowl of earthy goodness featuring a Balsamic Glaze and Nutmeg Crème Fraiche with Truffle Potato Shoestrings on top. Hearty, tasty and I am the sucker who falls for the truffle oil trick all the time, but honestly the least intriguing of the three dishes. It was good and offered a solid veggie option to spark up the appetite like a good soup do, but not as wow as what was to come. The unassuming Pera-Vino Salad went to David, who was really trying to be conservative with his digestive real estate. Little did he know he was selecting a crowd-pleaser. Field Greens with tangy Pickled Tomatoes, complimented by the sweetness and contrasting textures of Candied Almonds and Poached Pears. Very delicious. Finished with Garlic Croutons and a Citrus Peach Vinaigrette, this clearly wasn’t yuh Tanty’s salad. Nice too bad! But Marisa’s order stole the show. A sinful bowl of Rotini Pasta and succulent sautéed shrimp smothered in a sauce of freshly grated Cheddar and Parmesan Cheese. Topped with Italian Breadcrumbs and baked until sexy, we all agreed that the Baked Shrimp Mac ‘n’ Cheese was just a pot spoon and 3 slices of Garlic Bread away from being an entrée. So sinfully cheesy and heavenly delicious at the same time. That was a hands down wow!

I love a good pizza, so I couldn’t resist the Funghi Brick-Oven Pizza. 8 slices of traditional thin-crust pie, based with Alfredo Sauce and topped with Mushrooms, Mozzarella, Shaved Parmesan, Arugula and… sigh… Truffle Oil. The spicy sting of the Arugula with the Truffle Oil against the creamy canvas of the cheeses made the simple combination fire. Then it struck me, dis eh no personal pan. This is a proper pizza that one will have no problem sharing. Tip: Definitely do the pizza if yuh doing the sharing thing. Works well with three people fuh sure. Why David ordered the Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli we will never know. Mainly because they were so good we doh really care to find out why. We jus glad he did. Spinach infused Ravioli stuffed with Spinach, Parmesan and Ricotta Cheese, tossed in a tangy Rosa-Cream Sauce. Each piece produced the perfect bite with the leafy bitterness of the Spinach tamed by the creamy cheeses. Outstanding. Once again, Marisa had the show stopper. Maybe it’s just me, but when I hear Italian, I eh really thinkin’ ‘bout Shrimp and Linguine tossed in a Green Thai Curry with Garlic, Coconut Cream, Fresh Peppers and aromatic herbs. But look it on the menu, so who am I to judge. In any case, it was an exciting combination of flavors too.

 

Even the desserts appealed to a hardly dessert oriented individual like me. Tiramisu Gelato, a light, fluffy Churro Cup Duo and a wild Cheesecake Trio. The stand-out here was the Cheesecake. You get three sample pieces that look small, but they’re actually just good enough to follow the ample portion sizes. One Salted Caramel, one Pistachio and one Mango, with the traditional crust. All were good but the Pistachio was great. A fitting way to end the meal.

It’s safe to say Rizzoni’s TTRW2019 is something to experience; as long as yuh cool with cheese, cream and all that rich stuff that is. And don’t forget, with Rewards from Republic Bank, you can up the flavor profile from wow to cha-ching!

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Trinidad and Tobago Restaurant Week at Joseph’s

By admin,

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Once again, it’s time to enjoy the diverse range of deliciousness the Trinbagonian culinary landscape has to offer. Every year Trinidad & Tobago Restaurant week makes it possible for us, the food loving public, to jump out and enjoy the best T&T restaurant experiences at very tasty prices. This year, is no exception. Seasoned with an eclectic list of participating restaurants and a brand new app (which needs some development, but ah mean, de ting new… it hadda build) TTRW started serving its 2019 offering on Friday 20th September, so we jump out one time!

Destination… Joseph’s; the pride and joy of veteran Chef Joseph Habr, who knows Mediterranean cuisine as intimately as life itself. He lives it and it shows in the quality of his food. Lots of rich flavors, interesting combinations and varied textures create a dining experience that he shares with the help of his daughter in the kitchen, son front of house and an efficient friendly staff. I linked up with muh boy Foodie Run TT’s David Wears, the lovely Marisa Joseph of The Pallet, de bald-head bombshell Zaak from Foodie Adventures with Zaak and the smoke master himself, Peter Lim Choy from Smokey Pete to enjoy some Lebanese magic.

I used the appetizer as an opportunity to get some seafood in via the Shrimp Casserole. An earthy, cracked wheat mixture formed into little cakes shouldered shrimp baked with cherry tomatoes and three cheeses. The nutty cracked wheat contrasted interestingly with the rich, creamy finish of the shrimp, cheese and tomatoes. Great start. Mankind was happy! The Roast Lamb au Jus was my choice for entrée, because a boy jus weak fuh lamb! This lamb was a little less tender than I anticipated, but not disturbingly so as it maintained the juiciness that I guess was created by oven-roasting in Joseph’s signature marinade. This simple dish got interesting for me with the Roast Vegetable Couscous and the Cauliflower Puree. Making the perfect bite brought the meaty lamb, the herbal notes of the couscous and the kinda creamy kinda chunky cauliflower conveniently together on the fork for a wipe in the Rosemary Lamb Jus to tie it all together. The balance of flavor was noteworthy. Nothing overpowering or jumping out at you. Subtle flavors all making a team effort and playing their part to satisfy the taste buds. I appreciate food like that. I guess that’s why I was pleased with my dessert choice. Not being a big dessert fan, I tend not to like sweet food experiences that much. The Plumb and Date Sorbet had a tartness to it that made it a nice, cold, refreshing treat. Served with a few pieces of spiced pears (of which a few went into my G&T, but daz for a different conversation) the sorbet gave the meal a fruity, wholesome ending.

As expected, Joseph’s didn’t disappoint. I’d recommend it to couples looking for a date night kinda vibes; cozy, intimately lit and classy enough that you can put on some fancy dan dan and step out. Plus, use your Republic Cards at Joseph’s and any other TTRW2019 restaurant and get chances to sweeten the meal even more.

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