Marta

I really hate being disappointed. By anything, really, but especially restaurants that have been talked up by other food-loving folks. It's no wonder that Mr Minx and I stick to the same handful of places that we know will be consistently delicious on every visit. Marta is one such disappointing restaurant. That's not to say it's bad--not at all. It's just not as fabulous as we wanted it to be.

There are things about Marta that are actually quite nice. The restaurant is attractive and the service is attentive. When making our reservation, I mentioned that we were celebrating Mr Minx's 60th birthday. Once there, we found a card on our table thanking us for choosing Marta for our special occasion. However, they put us at a corner banquette with little legroom at an awkward bistro table supported by a center column with rather large feet. I suppose I should have asked to be moved--and I am sure they would have accommodated us--though I did like the idea of sitting next to my husband rather than across from him. After we rearranged our knees so we were both almost comfortable, we began the serious work of perusing the menu.

violetta and caprese martini

First beverages needed consideration. Mr Minx tried the Violetta cocktail, made with Bar Hill gin, Finocchietto fennel liqueur, lavender honey, and lemon juice. It was lemony and sweet, and rather good. I had an amazing Caprese martini, comprising Square One basil vodka, white balsamic condimento, honey syrup, muddled tomato, and basil oil. All it needed was a ball of mozzarella (which I don't think would have been at all weird or out of place). I loved the savory basil flavor balanced with a touch of sweetness--and I now need to obtain a bottle of that vodka. I was disappointed by the insipid chunk of pale and rather sour tomato used as a garnish, this being tomato season and all. I understand that a better tomato would be too juicy/messy for the skewer treatment, but cherry and grape tomatoes are usually uniformly good and would skewer neatly. A minor quibble, to be sure, and I would order this cocktail again.

yellowtail crudo

For food, we chose one crudo and two antipasti. The yellowtail crudo involved thin pieces of fish arranged on thinly sliced radish (though the menu says jicama) with bits and bobs of picked ginger on top. Five of these tasty treats were arranged on a plate drizzled with chili and basil oils; the server then poured over an additional green apple-hibiscus sauce after placing the plate on the table. While the dish was lovely, I have to question the wisdom of putting those flavored oils on the plate under the radish, which is not particularly absorbent, and not just drizzling them on top. We didn't opt for the $8 bread course, so there was nothing on hand to mop up the sauces. Seemed wasteful to me.

foie gras terrine

The two antipasti came next. The foie gras terrine with cherry-rhubarb compote, pickled stone fruit, gooseberry, shaved rhubarb, and toasted ciabatta was a big hit. The terrine itself was sublime, so smooth and mild, offal-averse persons may enjoy it as much as those of us who appreciate livers and thymus glands and such. The compote was also lovely, with lots of tart-sweet cherry flavor. And the toasted ciabatta was the perfect bread on which to smear the luscious terrine. 

 

there are meatballs under there somewhere

The meatballs cacio e pepe weren't as successful. The veal, pork, and beef combo seemed rather coarse, and the meatballs themselves were rather tough. Definitely undersalted. This was an item Mr Minx chose, so I didn't pay much attention to the menu description. I was surprised to find that the creamy, bland, and cheesy substance under the meatballs was polenta. I thought it was just another kind of cheese overkill, much like the cacio e pepe sauce on top. Additionally, there was a shower of shaved cheese and a black-pepper parmesan crisp. There is definitely a thing as too much cheese, and this dish is the poster child for that sentiment.

tagliatelle tartufo

Next up: pasta. Mr Minx would normally have gone for a red- or meat-sauced dish, like the ziti Bolognese, but decided since he couldn't pass up the meatballs (put them on the menu, we'll order them!) that he should try something he normally wouldn't order. In this case, it was the tagliatelle tartufo, which despite the truffle butter and preserved truffles, didn't taste particularly truffle-y. Perhaps it was the blanket of Parmigiano zabaglione that suffocated the flavor of fungus. In any case, this dish was far too rich.

campanelle zefferano

Being lactose intolerant, I wanted to eat at least one dish that wasn't smothered in cheese and cream, so chose the campanelle zeferrano with Main lobster, California uni, melted leeks, and uni zabaglione. They sure like zabaglione at Marta (yet, oddly, it's not on the dessert menu). Zefferano is the Italian word for saffron, but its usual hint-of-iodine flavor was overpowered by the strong seafood-y punchof the uni and the lobster. The lobster itself was a bit tough, though there was a fairly generous portion of it hiding among the bellflower-shaped pasta. Despite the preponderance of sea-flavored elements in this dish, it, like the meatballs, lacked seasoning. At least there was no cheese to be found on my plate!

strawberry panna cotta

affogato tiramisu

Finally, dessert. I must confess that I don't understand most restaurant dessert menus. After multiple courses of unctuous foods like foie gras and cheesy pasta, the last thing I want to eat is something drenched in mascarpone mousse, or anything with a menu description beginning with the word "rich." But most places will offer things like cheesecake, bread pudding, or towering slices of cream cheese-frosted carrot cake. The choices at Marta are semifreddo (with mascarpone mousse), tiramisu (with mascarpone mousse), opera cake (which is mostly ganache and mousse), filled bomboloni (fried donut balls), and panna cotta. I love me a good panna cotta, so that was the winner. The one on Marta's online menu is an intriguing basil-flavored version with tomato jam (and mascarpone mousse); the night we dined there, it was a strawberry version not unlike their semifreddo dish, minus the rhubarb plus a crumble. I figured it would taste like a fancy version of a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake ice cream bar, and it did, but much richer, and without as much of the gelatinous jiggle I like in my panna cotta. Mr Minx chose the affogato tiramisu, which was served in a goblet topped with an empty chocolate cup. His choice of decaf espresso was then poured into the cup, which melted, allowing the hot liquid to dribble onto the traditional mascarpone/ladyfinger concoction. Rather clever. But again, very rich.

Perhaps we ordered poorly that night, but we had no idea that Marta was so fond of loading on the cheese. Armed with such information, we might have skipped the meatballs and ordered the beef tartare instead, substituted an entree for one of the pastas, and skipped dessert entirely. I would definitely go back for the caprese cocktail and the foie gras terrine, and perhaps try the aqua pazza or grilled branzino. When a dinner is this expensive, I expect spectacular food. We did get a couple of really great things, but honestly, not enough of them.

Marta

2127 E. Pratt Street

Baltimore, MD 21231
https://www.martabaltimore.com/


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Vivo Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

If you've heard mention of "West County" recently and wasn't sure what it referred to, it's the western part of Anne Arundel County, which includes Hanover, Odenton, and Fort Meade. Not exactly the most glamorous area, unless you consider the fastest growing part of West County, Hanover's Arundel Mills development. In addition to the mall and Maryland Live! casino, Arundel Mills now boasts plenty of new housing and amenities. One of the newest communities in the development is Arundel Preserve. Just off 295 on Arundel Mills Boulevard, the Preserve is home to the swank new Hotel at Arundel Preserve and its two restaurants by New York restaurateur George Martin, Vivo and Grillfire.

Mr Minx and I were invited to taste some of Vivo's offerings at a recent media dinner. We started out with a few appetizers for the table before ordering entrees of our own.

Charcuterie plate with Sopressata, proscuitto, bresaola, gorgonzola, provolone, and taleggio,
with marinated olives, toasted stone oven flatbreads, and fig jam

We started out with a generous charcuterie plate featuring three Italian meats and three Italian cheeses, a nice combination of salty, savory, and creamy, punctuated by a sweet fig jam and olives. With a bottle of wine, it could make a nice meal in itself. And it was served on a gorgeous slab of burl wood that sadly was too large to fit in my purse....

Margherita pizza

We also sampled one of the restaurant's dozen pizzas, made in the Wood Stone oven visible just beyond the window into the open kitchen. In addition to the classic Margherita and white pizzas, Vivo has creative variations like crab imperial with mascarpone and a red pepper aioli, and proscuitto & pear with gorgonzola dolce. Yes, please!

Spinach arancini 

We also received a sampling of Vivo's arancini, which our host, Diane, says is the best she's had since her trip to Italy. The generously-sized balls of risotto and spinach were indeed quite nice, creamy and piping hot inside, with a delicate crust that was just barely able to hold in the molten rice.

Bucatini Carbonara with peas and a soft cooked egg

When Mr Minx, aka Mr Pasta, saw that Vivo offered one of his favorite pasta preparations, pasta Carbonara, he had to order it. The house-made bucatini was coated in a rich and cheesy sauce studded with bits of pancetta and peas and topped with a soft cooked egg. It was decadently delicious.

Pork shank osso buco with rosemary potatoes and tomato pan gravy

I opted to avoid pasta and chose a meat entree that came with potatoes, just to be different. While osso buco is traditionally made with veal shank, pork shank works just as well. The one I received was gargantuan, and the spoon-tender meat was glazed with a sheen of tomato gravy and a sprinkle of herbs. The potatoes were darkly roasted and had a mild rosemary flavor that did not detract from the lusciousness of the meat.

Chicken Parmesan, without the cheese

Other dishes at our table include chicken Parmesan, which our tiny host ordered without cheese because she's afraid of getting fat like me. (I'm happy to eat her cheese for her.) The breast cutlets were thin and crispy, and I liked that the breading wasn't over-seasoned.

Bucatini with lobster and shrimp

Another tablemate had the bucatini in a creamy sauce flavored with Chardonnay and thyme and studded with bits of lobster and shrimp. After tasting it, I almost regretted my decision not to order pasta, because it was delicious, with a nice brininess from the seafood. Vivo makes all of its pasta (except the linguine) in-house, from gnocchi to ravioli to rigatoni, using their fancy imported pasta machine. 

Despite being stuffed, we also sampled a trio of the restaurant's desserts, including a lovely light tiramisu served in a jar and garnished with a crisp biscotto. While cute, the jar lid was heavy and made the container a little tipsy.

...a moist olive oil cake topped with fig jam and vanilla ice cream...

...and crisp miniature cannoli stuffed with Nutella-infused ricotta.

Despite trying several dishes, we really tasted only a small selection of the goodies Vivo has to offer. We can hardly wait to go back and try the crispy Parmesan polenta, lobster risotto, malfadine Bolognese, rockfish and baby clams Livornese, and some of the more non-traditional pizzas. But first, we have to check out Grillfire, the George Martin restaurant across the lobby, which seems to have a pretty rocking happy hour....

Vivo Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar
7793-B Arundel Mills Blvd
Hanover, MD 21076
(410) 799-7440
http://www.vivotrattoria.com/





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Aldo's

I've wanted to go to Aldo's for years now, but it's always seemed like one of those special occasion places that we couldn't quite afford. And, honestly, it still does. However - it's a place that deserves every bit of kudos it receives. I can't remember when I've had such a perfect meal. You know me - I love to criticize. But I could only find one teeny thing to complain about at Aldo's, and that is just a matter of my own personal taste.

We were treated to a mini tour of Italy, starting off with a basket of fritto misto, or mixed fried seafood, with a marinara dip. The cod, shrimp, and calamari were all crackling-crisp, and perfectly cooked. A great start to the meal. With the seafood, we drank a glass of the house Pinot Grigio.

Fritto Misto

Panzanella salad came next. I loved that the greens were arugula, and that the tomato was juicy, red, and flavorful. And here's where my one criticism comes in: there was a little too much oregano for my tastes. I would have preferred basil.

A trio of pasta was our third course, accompanied by a glass of a bone-dry red called Ruche. The pastas included fettuccine with lobster in a rosé sauce, porcini agnolotti in a black truffle butter, and a classic orecchiette with broccoli rabe and Italian sausage. The pastas were silky, the sauces were rich, and all were amazingly delicious. But I think I liked the agnolotti the best. The mushroom flavor was so woodsy, so intense, and a little went a long way.

Pasta Trio

Our next course was the decadent Tournedos Rossini, prime filet mignon topped with foie gras, truffle and porcini sauce, and a side of four cheese risotto in a cheese cup. Wow. Generally, I don't care for filet because I often find it to be mealy/mushy in texture and livery rather than beefy in flavor. But this particular steak, which was cooked to a deep pink shade just shy of medium but not quite medium-rare, was outstanding. It had a nice salty crust and tasted like beef. And the texture was just marvelous. The sliver of foie gras on top was also perfectly cooked, browned on the outside and quivering pink inside. With this dish, we drank a glass of the house Amarone.

Finally, we received a limoncello cocktail made with heavy cream, which was delicious, but impossible to drink after all of the rich food and wine that had come before. Our trio of desserts included a mini cannoli, a slice of feather-light tiramisu, and a small bit of intense flourless chocolate cake that didn't look too pretty on the plate, but wow. All of it was wow, particularly the pastas and the filet. The service was marvelous, too, formal but not stuffy, and our busboy was extremely attentive.

Now I know where we need to go for anniversaries, holidays, and milestone birthdays - Aldo's.

Much thanks to Sergio and Aldo Vitale for the wonderful meal. Your hospitality is exceptional, as is your food.

Aldo's
306 S High St
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 727-0700
aldositaly.com



(I was trying to be good and didn't use the flash for any of the photos I took during the course of our meal because the next table was occupied. And wouldn't you know it - when their dessert came out, so did their camera phones with flash. But I did manage to take two that didn't come out blurry.) 

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