Amarone della Valpolicella – an Italian red wine from the Valpolicella region in the province of Veneto and made from a blend of indigenous grape varieties.
There is a wonderful restaurant in Guilford with this superb wine as it’s namesake. If you’re familiar with this particular wine, you know that it’s extremely rare to find it on a wine list sold by the glass. Amarone offers two. They have a fabulous wine list; an extensive selection of bottles, 1/2 bottles and wines by the glass. Bellissimo!
Amarone, diagonally across from the Town Green, is a treasure. The dining room is simple, comfortable and casual. There’s a generous bar area, with several high tops. The bar can be lively on the weekends. They also offer outdoor dining on the sidewalk. It’s a lovely space, several tables with patio umbrellas alongside planter boxes filled with beautiful blooms bordering the sidewalk. It’s cozy and charming.
The menu is expansive. You will have trouble deciding on just one thing—I usually order three. They offer a huge selection of nightly specials, each one individually named and described by your server. You won’t find a printed list of specials here. “ It’s just not personal.” Kudos to the servers, who patiently reel off the list of 20 specials all evening long. May I suggest clicking on the link below and viewing the menu. Each dish is thoughtfully created, beautifully presented, and absolutely delish. If you want to customize it, they’ll do it. If you’re not happy with it, they’ll fix it!
Tonight, after expending the amount of time one might take choosing a new car, I decided on the Gnocchi Sorrentino. I prefaced it with the Arugula salad, which I always order. It’s fresh, peppery, and perfect.
Back to the gnocchi. Ever have a light gnocchi? I’ll bet not. Amarone’s gnocchi surprisingly is! Delicate little pillows, like air, they are perfect, in a simple yet incredibly flavorful tomato sauce (San Marzano rules). The mozzarella on top, however, was unnecessary and, sadly, the fresh basil that would have brightened the dish was AWOL.
Michael started with the Salmon Tartare, which was palatable. Its strong citrus presence made it more “cooked” than your usual tartare. A bit different, but delish nonetheless.
For his entree, he decided on the Linguini with Shrimp and Scallops in a pesto cream sauce over linguine. Here’s where it gets interesting. He opted for a white wine sauce instead of the cream sauce, and pappardelle instead of linguini. That’s what I love about Amarone. They will graciously accommodate your every wish. Michael loved it, by the way!
While indulging in my perfectly prepared gnocchi, I was reminded of my mother and her inexhaustible yet unfulfilled search for the perfect dish of pasta (lovingly referred to as macaroni “way back when”). For years, I witnessed her relentless pursuit of a bowl of spaghetti (her fav) that wasn’t “a pile of mush.” “Can I have that al dente?” she’d always ask the waiter. We’d smile (add eye roll) because we knew, as usual, they would not be granting her request. It was customary back in the 60’s and 70’s for restaurant kitchens to keep a pot of pasta slow-simmering on the stove, partially cooked, and then finish it off when it was ordered. Freshly prepared was unheard of. Never one to complain, she’d finish her mush in silent discontent.
Amarone is where we go when we can’t decide exactly what we’re craving, but we want plenty of options. Whether it be a light fare, Italian favorites, seafood extraordinaire, amazing pasta dishes (including three gnocchi entrees) or some of the best filet mignon I’ve ever had, this place has it all!
Over and Above—There’s a large basket of Italian cookies and biscotti at the exit door for guests to help themselves when leaving. I’ve been known to overdo this little perk! Nice touch!
