Culinary Adventures

Kyle and I spent our 1st anniversary wining and dining. We decided a few months ago that we'd go to i nonni, a place in Lilydale (I dont know where it is either) that is attatched to an Italian Deli and Wine shop. While I had peeked into the restaurant while buying bresaola in the deli (which of course, they no longer carry) I had no idea how nice of a place it actually was. We ordered a bottle of Rosso Piceno, as I will never loose my Marchegiano pride and the beef carpaccio as an appetizer. Now I've ordered carpaccio at a few restaurants in my time (not as many as I'd like, since it usualy goes for a higher price) but never have I been served such a large, delicious, lemony MOUND of carpaccio as large as this. Had I ordered the carpaccio for myself as an entree, I would certainly have been satisfied. But Kyle and I could never do such a thing when more than one course is available! For our primi piatti I ordered a ziti carbonara, which was prepared differently than I've had it before, made with egg yolk that was placed at the bottom of the bowl, so as not to curdle (where as, everytime I've had it, the eggs have been curdled) and guanciale instead of the typical pancetta. Guanciale is (I didn't know this either) a very salty cut of pork that at one time was the pig's gowl. VERY SALTY. Kyle ordered the Butternut squash gnocchi with trumpet mushrooms in what must have been a sage butter. I couldn't resist the houses' evening special of Beef tenderloin, cooked to order accompanied by wild mushrooms, fingerling potatoes and that nice, smooth perfectly prepared seared foie gras, looking up at me ontop of my 12oz (if not more!) steak. Kyle ordered a Ribeye with similar garnish (without the foie gras, unfortunate for him). Once we had both taken in no more than 1/3 of our secondi, we gave in, ordered coffee, limoncello and rolled back to our bed and breakfast to digest. If I ever find anything that is made with foie gras that I dont like, I will immediately alert the authorities, as it is simply divine.