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| - What rhymes with Wednesday?! Whiskey, that's what! Ok, not really, but Wednesday is a good day to go to Alto Ristorante, get there early, swing over by the Center Stage Bar, and grab a Desert Manhattan while waiting for the rest of the crew. Then, take a seat, take in the gorgeous view while indulging in the yummy concoction the bartender just made. Yup, that's how my evening started.
Once my crew arrived, we went over to Alto Ristorante and got seated outside on the patio on the most perfect evening in Scottsdale! After getting settled in, Jenna came over and introduced herself, got our drink order, and informed us that Lisa would be our server. Not a moment later, Lisa came over and told us the special of the evening, and gave us recommendations on appetizers. We ended up ordering bruschetta:
* fegato: chicken liver spread, roasted grapes, candy hazelnuts (didn't try this one, the chicken liver spread grossed me out, lol)
* mozzarella: buffalo mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, basil (this one was flavorful and delish!)
* arrabiatta: tomatoes, olives and garlic (loved this one too!)
Then we ordered a really nice Cabernet Savignon (I think it was 130, hehe). It was a great wine! I highly recommend it!
For entrees, we ordered:
* guance di vitello ravioli: braised veal cheek with house-made ricotta ravioli and
wilted arugula in a black truffle marsala sauce (This was AWESOME!!! The veal was so tender, it melted in my mouth. And the pasta was cooked al dente, my absolute favorite!)
* pollo scottato: pan-seared chicken breast, meyer lemon glaze, heirloom
tomatoes, roasted butternut squash, sautéed escarole (This dish was extremely flavorful as well and just absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious!)
* branzino: Mediterranean sea bass, eggplant caponata,
salsa verde and celeriac puree (Amazing dish! The fish was flaky and cooked to perfection, and the flavors of the eggplant, salsa, and puree went together with it fantastically.)
Then for dessert, (yes, we got dessert, haha! We were being fatties):
* gondolino: vanilla crème brûlée with a floating, chocolate dipped
gondola filled with fresh berries (You can't go wrong with this!)
* torta di nocciole: chocolate hazelnut cake, amarena cherries, milk chocolate hazelnut mousse, espresso cream, wild cherry puree (For chocolate and Nutella lovers, THIS is the dessert for you! OMGoodness it's an explosion of chocolate and coffee and yumminess in your mouth.)
* crostata di pere: poached pears, local honey, sweet almond cream, ricotta cheese, honey ice cream (This was ok -- it was almost like apple pie with ice cream. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, just not the "grand finale" of desserts. It is, however, on the lighter side.)
After dinner, don't forget (and definitely don't skip) going with the Gondola. I had no idea there was a Gondola in Scottsdale -- who would've thought it?! You get free vouchers with dinner which is a plus! And the gentleman that took us with the Gondola has a superb Opera voice and serenades you with authentic Italian songs. Fantastic end to the evening!
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