gmhTODAY 24 gmhTODAY Feb March 2019 | Page 104

Dining Out with Friends Written By Larry J. Mickartz R Complimentary Appetizer Baby Beet Salad ecently Edward (Eddie) and Gloria Pollock joined us at Prova, California Table in Morgan Hill. The word Prova means to try or to taste in Italian. Chef Sal Calisi, who also owns Odeum, has done an excellent job of offering a variety of tastes, textures and food experiences at Prova. The lunch and dinner feature an expanded tapas menu. On weekends, Prova also serves a great brunch and has a happy hour menu from 3-6 pm and a late night version from 10-12 pm. We arrived at 6 pm, the prime dinner hour. Once seated, our waitress brought us a delightful complimentary appetizer of roasted garlic, kalameta olives, crostini and butter and took our drink order. The ladies started with classic cocktails, Gloria a Cosmo and J.Chris, a Lemon Drop. Eddie opted for beer and I had my regular, a tall Gin and Tonic. Eddie’s order of a Coors Lite was originally denied because they did not carry Coors Lite, but our waitress returned with some good news. Prova had recently hosted a party and there was some left over…a nice touch. As we enjoyed our cocktails, we perused the menu. Without the usual structure of appetizers, soup or salad, entrée and dessert, we decided to break our experience into three courses (mainly to accommodate table space)and just share everything. The evening began with Tomato Basil Bisque (Feta Cheese, Bacon Side of Garlic Bread) for Gloria and Eddie. Gloria went for the whole experience while Eddie asked for the bisque with- out the cheese and bacon. J.Chris opted to share the Baby Beets (black pepper, creme, red onions, feta cheese—instead of goat cheeese—and pecans). I put in an order for two specials— Shredded Pork Curry Ragu (shredded pork, penne pasta curry, coconut milk) and Chicken Wings (orange miso glaze, roasted garlic sesame, yogurt.) When everything was delivered, the table was full of delightful aromas and beautifully presented plates. Both Eddie and Gloria really liked their individual versions of the soup. They both noted that it was a little garlicky, creamy, smooth and very flavorful—even without the cheese and bacon for Eddie. The Garlic Bread was outstanding and there was enough for all four of us. The beet salad was fresh and offered many different textures. The feta matched up well with the beets. The Chicken Wings were spicy and “finger lickin’ good.” There were little bits in the sauce that made eating the wings a bit of a culinary adventure. Tomato Basil Bisque Shredded Pork Curried Ragu Chili Verde Carnitas Dip 104 Spicy Chicken Wings GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN february/march 2019 gmhtoday.com