Wine
Dining Out
with Friends
O
Appetizers
Carpacio di Bue
Burrata con Prosciutto
Salad
Written By Larry J. Mickartz
n a pleasant Tuesday
evening, we met up with
our long-time friends, Tim
and Janice Filice at Maurizio’s in Morgan
Hill. We had never been there so felt it
appropriate to take a couple of Italian
foodies with us to help us navigate the
nuances of fi ne Italian cuisine. We found
the restaurant's old-time Italian charm
as pleasant as the company and the tasty
cuisine.
Maurizio’s does not have a full bar, so
we started with a bottle of wine. We were
hoping for a bottle of Solis Grenache but
it was out of stock, so we moved on to
an Italian blend Sassotondo Tuforosso
(2014). It was bright and perfect for the
medley of flavors that followed.
We started with two appetizers or
“antipasti.” First was the Carpaccio di
Bue (Pepper-crusted beef tenderloin,
mixed greens, truffle oil) then the
Burrata con Prosciutto (Fresh burrata
cheese, prosciutto, sun-dried tomato
pesto, crostini). The Carpaccio was the
early hit of the evening. Tim noted, ”It
melts in your mouth...so good.” I liked
how a drizzle of fresh lemon gave it
an added little sparkle. Not to be left
behind, however, the Burrata was a great
combination of a crusty crostini, fresh
burrata, savory prosciutto, peppy pesto
and arugula. While not easy to eat grace-
fully, the flavor was spectacular. Just
these two antipasti with a glass of wine
could have been a great light dinner
according to J.Chris.
But tonight, we were not eating
light. Next, we launched into soup and
salad. Tim and J.Chris shared Insalata di
Bietole (Oven roasted beets, orange, goat
cheese, arugula, white balsamic) while
Janice and I split the Insalata di Rucola
(Wild arugula, toasted almonds, granny
smith apple, fresh mozzarella, tomato).
Tim noted that the citrus complimented
the earthiness of the beets and combined
with the goat cheese made for a great
combo. Janice described her salad as
“balanced and bright, light and refresh-
ing…the almond slices added crunch to
tone down the bitterness of the arugula.”
J.Chris sampled the soup of the day,
Garbanzo Bean (Broth-based with cel-
ery, carrots, onion and fresh tomatoes).
J.Chris noted, “It was tasty and light—
even though it was made with garbanzo
beans.”
Entrees
Insalata di Beitole
Secondi Piatti, Petrale Sole
Primi Piatti, Short Rib Ravioli
104
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JUNE/JULY 2018
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