 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Trattoria Vittoria Benvenuti! This month we’re featuring Trattoria Vittoria, a wonderfully authentic Italian restaurant tucked away on Victoria Street, between State Street and Anacapa, near the Arlington Theatre. Opened Valentine’s day 2007 by Giovanni Comin and Sofia Gallina, this restaurant is a Santa Barbara gem that should be enjoyed by all! I had the pleasure of dining here for lunch about a month ago, and so figured it was time to go all out for dinner, so of course I invited the whole family, as well as my boyfriend and two of my roommates, and we set out to share one of the most delightful meals I’ve had in a long time! Antipasti (appetizers) were a must for our group, so we discussed and a consensus was met for the Asparagi con Prosciutto e Parmigino, grilled asparagus with prosciutto and shaved parmesan, and the Bresaola con Rucola e Parmegiano, cured beef over a bed of fresh arugula and shaved parmesan. We also popped open a bottle of the Carina Cellars 2004 Santa Barbara County Syrah to share amongst those of age (I have two younger brothers who happily ordered sodas instead). When the dishes arrived the presentation was lovely, my favorite being the slices of Bresaola arranged like flower petals and nestled amongst the arugula. Both dishes paired quite well with our Syrah, and I especially loved how the smokiness of the prosciutto brought forth like flavors in the wine. And let’s not forget the house bread! I’m not ashamed to admit that we probably went through about four or five baskets of the fresh-out-of-the-oven bread while waiting for our next course. Insalatas (salads) e Zuppas (soups) were next, and while some of us enjoyed the house greens with homemade vinaigrette, others delighted in the creamy asparagus and spinach soup. Conversation was lively, and given it was UCSB’s Graduation as well Father’s Day weekend, the restaurant was filled to capacity. But that didn’t stop the General Manager Amadeo Grieco from visiting every table and paying special attention to each one of his guests that evening. I had the pleasure of meeting Amadeo the last time I dined here, and was touched when he greeted me with an energetic Carolina! Introductions to all family and friends were made, and then Amadeo left to prepare the Branzino del Mediterraneo (a whole grilled Mediterranean Sea bass) for the table behind us. As the main course began to arrive we popped open the Carina Cellars 2006 Syrah “7 Percent”, which I paired with my vegetarian order of Melanzana alla Parmigiana, an eggplant parmesan made with Japanese eggplants that was tender and full of flavor and was complimented quite well by the “7 Percent’s” full bodied flavor. For those looking for a tasty traditional dish, my boyfriend ordered the Lasagna al Ragu, a meat lasagna that was reminiscent of my grandma’s cooking! Other favorites included the Ravioli di Carne con Salsa Aurora (prime rib raviolis in a pink cream & tomato sauce), Tortellini con Panna e Proscuitto (homemade veal tortellini in a cream sauce with sliced ham), and of course the evening’s Hallibut special. No meal would be complete without the Dolci (dessert), and we continued to be impressed by our final course. We chose three selections, and each was as decadent as the next. The Semifreddo satisfied our ice cream lovers with its slightly frozen chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream center, while the Tiramisu was a well-enjoyed favorite, and the Fagottino delighted all with its carmelized apples wrapped in sweet crepes and served with vanilla ice cream. Sadly all good things must come to an end, and after profusely thanking Amadeo and our wonderful server Nicholas, we left with our stomachs satiated, our thirst for good wine quenched, and our calendars opened to see when we would next rendez-vous at Trattoria Vittoria. |
Featured
Restaurant (October 2008)