Scampo Birthday Dinner

[onefineleo]

We're going tomorrow night for Mom's and my birthday dinner. What shouldn't we miss?

Many thanks.

[gansu girl]

Happy birthday! Great choice of restaurant - was just there in June with a group for my 40th and we had a good time. The food is great, and the atmosphere is special, but not stuffy - a festive spot.

I'd second the Elephant Ear Walking - unique and delicious. Also from the bread list, the piadini flatbread w/our maple & molasses cured bacon was out of this world.

The mozzarella plates are super - I bet the mozz. w/ vine ripe, heirloom tomatoes & basil would be even better now that tomatoes are in.

I got to try all of the sides and you can't go wrong with any of them, really.

For an entree, I had the cod (white miso roasted cod...tempura cod cheeks
w/spring dug parsnips) and it was quite good, but not as memorable as the rest, although I didn't have that much of an appetite by then, to be fair!

Oh, and to start I had a Scampo Bellini - do not fear that mint foam, it's good stuff.

Have fun!

[onefineleo]

Thanks everybody! I can't wait til tonight. There will be 7 of us, so maybe we'll share the way macadamianut suggested and we can try all of the dishes you've recommended. Many thanks and I promise to report back.

[onefineleo]

Scampo was a winner! There were seven of us ranging in age from 79 to 19. All were pleased and we can't wait to return. We were greeted by our very friendly and professional server who made us feel very welcome. A stack of parmesan crostini and fava bean dip were a great accompaniment to the cocktails, which were delicious. My Scampo Bellini, champagne and peach puree, was refreshing. I tasted my husband's sidecar and my son's Italian Mojito, both perfectly prepared. My son, who works in the wine industry, spied a Groth Cabernet, 2005 which he thought was a steal at $80.00 ("There should be a 1 in front of the 8"). The waiter told us it was the best buy on the menu and we all felt very happy to have such a smart son! On to the food. Thanks to your suggestions, we ordered the garlic bread and Elephant Ear Walking. It was a great night for the garlic bread, deep and smoky flavors. The Elephant Ear was delightful to look at, arriving looking like a tomato cheesy tunnel ready to be pulled apart and shared by all. A mood enhancer for sure. Many of us had variations on mozzarella.....my son the tasting bar (the burrata was pure heaven, all drippy and rich) and his girlfriend and I shared the burrata in puff pastry with heirloom tomatoes. Again, a delightful combination of flavors and textures and a tribute to our relationship that we were so able to generously share the dish! The lobster pizza was loaded with
pieces of lobster and garlic herby tastes. Everyone else at the table greatly enjoyed their meals too: brick chicken, quail, duck, pasta with shrimp and pizza with chanterelles. Dessert was a great big plate of cookies and a bowl of white coffee ice cream. Because the menu so lends itself to sharing, it's a great place to dine with a group. If you haven't gone, I urge you to try it. We all look forward to returning and thanks again for your recommendations.

[macadamianut]

Sounds like you had a fantastic Dinner! I am happy that you reported back with such a positive experience.

[pollystyrene]

The garlic bread.

[twentyoystahs]

I have to say, that garlic bread was one of my favorite discoveries of '08. Had it a couple of times and it was AMAZING. Something so simple but so incredibly flavorful. Buttery, garlicky, smoky --really sublime. However, I went back a month or so ago and it was just plain garlic bread --not nearly as special as I remember. Wondering if it was just an off night, or if it's just not quite the same anymore.

[pollystyrene]

As of two months ago it was still great, so maybe it was just an off night.

[twentyoystahs]

Hope so. I went less than 2 months ago, in early July, I think. It was just ok then.

[CreativeFoodie42]

I thoroughly enjoyed their mozzarella tasting!

[macadamianut]

Elephant Ears ( it's a thin crispy pizza like dish. It is in the shape of an elephants ear. Farfalle pasta with Masacarpone cheese and fresh crab, Mozzarella tasting, Carpaccio, Butter poached lobster, All of the pasta dishes are great. Order a Caprhina cocktail or the Italian Mojito. I went here my first time with a group. Instead of each of us ordering our own dishes,we chose a bunch of dishes we all wanted to try. We passed the dishes around the table with a spoon and each person had the chance to taste everything we had on the table. At first I thought I hated the idea until the food came. It was great tasting so many special dishes. The lobster pizza is delish too.

[nasilemak]

Third the lobster pizza.

[Pegmeister]

The lobster pizza!