Where one eats should never be determined by the distance to drive, but it often is. Last night we went to Del Porto, mainly because it was across the street from the Southern Hotel, where we had gone for an evening of singing. We didn’t stay for the singing because there was no place to sit, and it was really early, putting us in the midst of going-home traffic. We decided to cross the street and visit Del Porto for their Happy Hour, which in the past has been quite pleasing.
The Happy Hour at Del Porto is unusually generous and almost obscenely cheap. It is a mini version of so much of the menu, it actually works out very well. Larger portions are way too much food, and sampling more things appeals. To me, at least.
The white bean and artichoke puree here is just so great that I can’t come without getting it. I really should have passed on it last night because I just don’t want to eat that much anymore, but it’s ingrained now.
Tom got tuna crudo, and of course we got the pizzette, because David Solazzo is a master pizza maker. And there was a Stromboli on the menu, which seemed intriguing. We have had the pasta dish that is always there, and I was definitely planning to skip it. But the fennel sausage made here is excellent, and everything else we ordered was meatless, so I added it to the list. And even though I have loved the Fritti Misti every time, I planned on passing on it but caved in the end.
We started with the cold apps. I had a manageable portion of the bean dip. This is to my taste the very best version of any creamy legume spread in my orbit. Our orbit has shrunk, but my memory is strong and I've just never had a better one. It has heft to it, and is not especially creamy, with a very generous puddle of great olive oil and ample assorted olives, and a caper berry. What makes this spread even more appealing is the presentation. Slices of housemade focaccia are toasted and arrayed in a frame, forming sort of a nest for the dip.
Tom’s crudo seemed less than any previous one he’s had here. Very thin slices of tuna covered the plate, with a slice or two of citrus and a well of tangy vinaigrette. Two lavash crisps accompanied the tuna. Tom ate this with vigor and we should have gotten another one.
But the hot apps arrived and we moved on to those. The pizzette was one I ordinarily wouldn’t have gotten because it was vegetarian. I do love the pizza here so we got it anyway. The very mention of eggplant puts me off, but this eggplant was so tender I actually enjoyed it. The reason I said yes to this vegetarian pie was the mention of goat cheese, which to me makes everything better. Overall, I didn’t care much for the makeup of this baby pizza and would not get it again.
The Stromboli came in slices, with a red sauce that looked unappealing. The sauce was really chunky and vibrant deep red. I couldn’t believe the contrast between the look and the taste of this sauce. It was superb! The Stromboli itself was a good bite of food, with delicious meats and cheeses rolled together in a surprisingly thin crust. We liked this too. Tom’s enthusiasm for this was also a surprise.
The Fritti Misti was a big disappointment. There was nothing wrong with the frying. It was golden brown and greaseless, but the crust seemed thicker than in past versions of this. And while that might be my imagination, the ratio of protein to vegetable in this pile was not. To be fair, my standards for this rarely-seen dish are absurdly high. I eat this in Italy wherever I see it, which is most places. Del Porto is just about the only place in the States I have ever seen this little cone of delight, and this was the first time I was not delighted. The morsels of the evening were fried cauliflower, shrimp, Mahi Mahi, carrots, and pickles. There was one shrimp and one piece of fish amidst the vegetables.
The pasta was very nice. The cavatelli pasta itself was not too al dente for my taste, and the delicious red sauce with copious bits of fennel sausage mixed with broccoli rabe was very good.
The prices at Happy Hour here are so good, I sometimes feel guilty. We got dessert to pad out the check. The crostata here is almost a signature dessert, and it is always divine. Housemade puff pastry becomes its own plate for a layer of chocolate so dense and rich it is otherworldly. Bits of toasted coconut added a little extra to the mix, and it was topped with a small scoop of housemade vanilla gelato and another of whipped cream. This was decadent as always.
Tom got a cappuccino with this, and he was so utterly delighted he got another. I think the cappuccino was his favorite part of the meal.
I never leave Del Porto without being thrilled. I was not thrilled this evening. And that makes me worry. More about me than them.
