In an effort to break out of the local pizza parlor mold, Picasso’s has hired a young professionally trained chef and has decided to experiment with a more upscale and inventive menu.
Their first foray into this unchartered territory took place last night at a 5 Course Dinner, complete with wine pairings. Seven of us made the trek last night, eager with anticipation and perhaps a bit dubious that they could pull it off.
To say that the new endeavor was a success is definitely an understatement! We were thrilled with the efforts that Picasso’s went to.
Stepping into the restaurant we were immediately hit with the familiar smells of the pizzas that they are more well-known for. We were shown to our table, which quietly stood out with it’s small vase of yellow flowers, a sign that the table was to be used for more than one of their excellent Mediterranean Pizzas.
We were greeted in stages by the owner, the chef, and the waitstaff. The menu was explained to us in detail. A cup of cream of asparagus soup kicked the meal off. The soup had a unique flavor, which was later identified by one of the members of our dining party as horseradish. This was paired with a nice Chardonnay.
An appetizer with scallops, served on a bed of baby spinach, with a mango chutney came next. The wine served was a Sauvignon Blanc.
Next up came an endive salad with an inventive truffle oil vinagrette which also had walnuts and stilton cheese. This salad was a rousing success all around. Upon questioning the chef, we found that the dressing included some raspberry vinegar and a touch of basalmic vinegar, with some dijon mustard thrown in.
Our main course consisted of medallions of tenderloin in a burgandy peppercorn sauce, with baby red potatoes and asparagus along side. The sauce was terrific, with a bit of a bite to it. This turned out to be a dash of tabasco sauce that the chef had thrown in. A Cabernet Sauvignon and a Pinot Noir were served with the main course.
The meal came to a perfect end with puff pastry dotted with Gorgonzola cheese served with pears poached in a port sauce. This was also served with a pour of Galway Pipe Tawny Port.
We were told by the owner of Picasso’s that this will become a monthly occurence. The chef mentioned that the next dinner will be an Italian food tour, and he’s looking forward to a local sausage and microbrew beer dinner as well.
Picasso’s did this just right. The food was excellent and inventive, but they did not try to stretch the atmosphere of the restaurant by trying to make the meal more formal than it could be. Thus, they ended up with an upscale, fun menu in a very comfortable setting that was unique while being as far from pretentious as it could be.
We’re looking forward to the next special dinner, and we are eagerly anticipating the new menu that will be introduced in the upcoming weeks.
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