WOWZA! What a special place and owner!
It was Friday night. A busy and tiring day with no lunch. And, having tired of the normal places - pizza, Asian, boygahs, and the like, I trolled the hound, and, low and behold, there did I find Silvia's. I noted that the very complimentary posts went back to 2002 and continued to 2010 thus there was some history that hinted at a winner. And it is! So, it is time to get one up there from 2011 for one special reason - what a hidden gem!
One older post said that if it looks closed, don't be shy and walk on in. Well, I called in advance and alerted Silvia to our arrival. And there she was welcoming us like a member of her family when we arrived.
Nicely appointed, meticulously clean and fresh linen on the table. The starter was Romanian Farmer's soup and how splendid it was! amazing! full of vegetables and chicken, pork and sausage. Delicately flavored with fresh dill in a light cream stock with just a hint of heat. A meal in itself! Then, the salad - crisp chopped romaine, cukes, tomatoes, celery, red onion, peppers, carrots, blue cheese, banana peppers with just the right amount of a delicious house dressing. Another meal in itself! And the breadI Oy! A full loaf of challah and a half loaf of raisin challah, freshly baked, and award winning for obvious reasons. Before the soup, with the soup, with the salad, with lotsa butter.....Asolutely delish!
Two main courses -
Tocitura Romanesca $22.5
Pan fried pieces of beef, chicken, pork & kielbasa saute'ed with
onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic. Served with feta cheese, sauerkraut & potatoes; and,
Eggplant Parmesan $16.5
Layers of golden breaded pan-fried eggplant baked in Marinara sauce and topped with
basil & Mozzarella cheese.
BOTH of these were immense in portion size and consist of two meals (at least). And, surprise, surprise, it wasn't just quantity but quality! The Tocitura was elegantly flavored with a smokiness and large chunks of meat. The kielbasa was some of the best I have had and with perfect flavor, texture and no grizzle or filler. The potatoes were cubed and lightly fried with perfect seasoning. The sauerkraut was properly rinsed and not briny. The veggies were varied, more than listed, and not overcooked. And there was a slight spiciness to the sauce that was refreshing.
The eggplant was lightly breaded, tender and not overcooked or greasy and rested atop a generous portion of penne pasta. The sauce was fresh and not acidic or too sweet. The pasta al dente as it should be.
Silvia suggested a bottle of Romanian red wine which was a perfect complement to the food. Not too dry and with a bit of sweetness but still complex with a nice finish. VERY quaffable!
ll in all a superb meal and a charming hostess/chef. Look for the two lions atop the brick pillars at the driveway entrance because the restaurant is set back a bit. And do make certain to buy a loaf of bread for the next day. I'll give you a money back guarantee!!
Here is the website: http://www.silviasrestaurant.com/brun...
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Silvia's Gourmet Restaurant & Catering
23 N Main St, Enfield, CT 06082
