Campania at Il Fornaio Del Mar after the races

Looking for dinner after #delmarraces check out #ilfornaiodelmar Campania menu, part of the Festa Regionale, for a taste of Naple’s Almafi coast running 6-19 August. Senior Editor, Frank, and Tech Director, Rico, were able to try much of the menu starting with Pummarole e Capri (Caprese) - chopped heirloom tomatoes and a melt in your mouth creamy buffalo mozzarella paired with a 2016 Falanghina having notes of banana on the front and peaches on the back palate. Next was Gatto alla Napulitana, a 5-star flavor explosion - mashed potato cake binding deli meats and cheeses baked in the oven. MULTI BENE! Paired with an Aglianico-based Rose. Be on the lookout for #tasteofwineandfoodcolumn in the next several weeks featuring Roses. We next shifted over to pasta e risotto starting with Strangularaprievete e Surriento - long gnocchi that was named for causing a priest to chock on the longer shaped pasta size with mozzarella and tomato sauce baked in the oven and Risotto Amalfi, packed with shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, and roasted peppers. Both were paired with a Fiano-Greco white blend having mineral and full-bodied notes. For secondi, we had Spigula Dinto o Cuoppo (Branzino-sea bass) baked in parchment paper to keep the moistness of the fish and bake in the shrimp, mussel, and clams flavor served with fresh green peas sautéed with pancetta. Really liked the pancetta flavoring in the peas. And the Scalupppine a Salernitana – veal sautéed with San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella con marinated egg plant and roasted Yukon potatoes. This was paired with a 2015 Terredoa di Paolo Aglianico ($14). Great cherry notes on the nose with deep red color along with pepper and cacao on the back palate. Very tasty at $14! We also mustered up enough appetite to have the Delizia al Limone – lemon sponge cake with a light and airy lemon pastry cream. Thank you Asst GM Walter for a great evening and sharing your commentary on the delicious wines and food, Devon for being a great and attentive server, and Tally for a warm hostess welcome. Look forward to coming back to Il Fornaio soon. 
#ricotowaf #franktowaf #delmar #ilfornaio #ilfornaiodelmar