DINNER AT CAVE VIN

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

I am just home from a long trip to Italy with culinary tours and a visit to my cousin's winery in Calabria. After eating Italian food, and I do love Italian, when my husband asked me where I wanted to dine last night, I really did not care as long as it was not pasta!

Since I have been a little out of the culinary loop here in the USA for the past few weeks, I did not realize that it was restaurant week. But alas, it is and we got a bonus as a result. We were entertaining Bob's assistant and her husband, so we thought a little French food would be just the right thing to do and landed at Cave Vin at 5555 Xerxes in South-West Minneapolis. www.cave-vin.net

Bob started our meal with a little bubbly, a French Brut, which of course delighted me. No day should go by without a little bubbly in my opinion, it really lightens the spirits. Cave Vin was offering a Prix-Fix menu and of course we went right for it. While I always order the Prince Island Mussels when dining there, Bob ordered the Calamari. My mussels were plump, plentiful and delicious, I used the perfectly baked French Bread to sop up their juices and was very happy with my choice. The Calamari on the other hand was a huge disappointment, chewy and soggy, but I was willing to share with my disappointed hubby.

But Bob struck gold when he ordered the Pork Loin Chop with Grilled Peaches in a Balsamic Reduction. The Chop was moist and flavorful and he was very happy with his pick. I chose the Pan Roasted Halibut and I felt it was really well done too. The moist flesh was just what I needed after weeks of pasta and pork. The grilled vegetables were perfect.

And for dessert I of course, had the Benne Noir, a dense chocolate cake with a raspberry sauce and a sweetened dollop of whipped cream, it was a perfect ending to a perfect French meal in my estimation.

Cave Vin is always one of my favorite go to places and they did not prove me wrong last night.

Buon appetito,

Carmela