D’Amico Cucina

Historic Butler Square
100 N 6th St
Minneapolis, MN
612-338-2401
http://www.damico.com/

Category: Contemporary Italian

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 9
Service: 9
Ambience: 8

Recommendation: Excellent. Although this restaurant has been a mainstay for over 20 years, it never ceases to impress and is one of the “must-eats” in the Twin Cities.

As we approach the 1 year anniversary of our blog, we are excited (and it is by sheer coincidence) that the honor of the 150th review belongs to D’Amico Cucina, a long standing Twin Cities establishment. With less than a month to go before Natasha is due to give birth to our first child we felt it was apt to visit some of the Cities’ finer dining establishments. It isn’t like we haven’t been to our fair share of “expensive” places, but something leads me to believe that we’ll be short on time (and money) once the baby arrives. We’ve always relished our experiences at the D’Amico and Partners establishments (Café & Bar Lurcat, Masa, and Campiello) and D’Amico Cucina just reinforces our respect for the folks that oversee this portfolio of businesses.

D’Amico is located in the historic Butler Square building in the heart of Minneapolis. The feel of the restaurant plays off the building with a rustic sophisticated look. The flickering candles, pretty chandeliers, live music, and dim lighting add a touch of romance and soften the look of the interiors. D’Amico radiates opulence and class, and it is evident in all aspects of the dining experience.

The contemporary Italian menu is developed under the watchful eye of Chef John Occhiato. We had decided beforehand that we would do the 5-course tasting menu, but after careful observation we thought a-la-carte was more interesting (especially because we could select courses from the tasting menu). Our adventure started with the Roasted Scallops (with Warm Brown Butter and Black Truffle Vinaigrette); buttery deliciousness with an earthy scent of truffles emanating from the dish. The second appetizer was the Suckling Pig (a Terrine with Mustard Crust, Grilled Green Onion Pesto, and Watercress)…we especially loved the crispy texture of the crust. We couldn’t pass up on the Rabbit Risotto with Baby Turnip, Saba, and Arugula. This course was from the tasting menu and highly recommended by our server – he was spot on; creamy and rich is the best way to describe it. We also couldn’t ignore the Swordfish Ravioli (with Monterey Bay Calamari, Pinenut, and Cracked Green Olive). The Ravioli was amazing but the accompanying sauce, though light and fresh, just didn’t wow us.

On the other hand, the Secondi course absolutely did. Nick ordered the Veal Tenderloin (Sous Vide with Black Truffle, Cippolini, and Braised Celery). It’s a dish we won’t soon forget – the whiff of the truffle infusion evident the moment the plate was laid on the table. The veal was moist and tender. Our friend Alex might bash the tenderloin cut, but you couldn’t pull this dish off with any other cut of meat. Natasha went with another pasta course…the Gnocchi (served with Lobster, Spinach, and a White Truffle Beurre Blanc). You might think we’re tired of truffles by now, buy you’d be dead wrong. We were glad to see two massive chunks of lobster adorn this plate…mild flavors made this dish unforgettable. It’s time for dessert and usually we get one dessert and share; but there were two things on the dessert menu that really caught our eye. Instead of fighting over which one to get, we decided we would try both. If you’ve read this blog before you’d guess that one of them would be a chocolate dessert (and you’d be spot on). The Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake was warm, gooey, and heavenly. The Warm Almond Frangipane Crepes (with Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse and Candied Apricots) was just as good. When I saw the apricots, I was worried that they would throw this dish off but the ingredients on that plate were in harmony…the chewy, crispy caramelized crepes were excellent, just as the server had promised.

We can’t thank our server enough…a polite gentleman with recommendations that were right on the mark. Poor service can ruin a great dining experience but in our case we can’t complain about any aspect of our visit to D’Amico Cucina. When our check came, we realized that we had indulged in a four-course a-la-carte meal (with a couple of glasses of Barbera) and the final bill reflected that. A slight shock, because this is without a doubt our most expensive meal yet in the Twin Cities, but who said unforgettable moments are cheap.

$$$$. Dinner for two (with two glasses of wine, tax and tip was $230). Valet parking is available for $8.