C U I S I N E
WHENEVER WE LOOK
for a restaurant to
hold one of our formal
Tampa Bay
Food Wine Society
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Tampa Bay Food & Wine Society
dinners, we begin by searching
for a chef who can produce the
high-quality dining experience
we desire and a restauranteur
who has access to intriguing
and unique wines that will
make the meal special. At Villa Bellini
in Clearwater, we recognized that Chef-
Owner Ciro Mancini would be ideal for
one of our gourmet club’s dinners. The
ambience of this Italian Renaissancestyle
Our pasta course during this food and wine dinner was
restaurant is exquisite, and the
servers are experienced professionals
who understand the subtleties of these
indulgent epicurean evenings.
The half hour prior to the meal,
guests were treated to Bruschetta with
a delightfully light chardonnay, as
they met and greeted each other before
finding their place cards. Once seated,
they enjoyed nibbling on an Antipasto of
Fagottino di Bresaola and Formaggi e Salami,
while sipping a 2013 Bottega Vinaia Pinot
Noir and conversing with their table
mates. A Matilde Salad was served next
with fresh greens and a light dressing
broccoli, plus a strawberry. To
accompany this delicate fish,
Ciro served a 2011 Belguardo
Serrata, which is among the
best champagnes we have ever
enjoyed. It matched the clean
fresh taste of this treasure
from the ocean to perfection.
Although we were fully
satisfied at this point, no one
refused the dessert of a cannoli shell
filled with luscious sweet mascarpone.
The final wine of the evening was a
Fontanafredda Moscato D’Asti Bricco.
Everyone drained their glass of this
beverage from the gods. We overate, we
overdrank, and we loved every minute
of it. Ciro had more than met our every
expectation.
9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Villa Bellini is located at
2930 Gulf to Bay Boulevard in Clearwater,
(727) 754-9848. For information about the
Tampa Bay Food & Wine Society, please
contact Peggy at Tampa Bay Magazine,
(727) 791-4800.
Villa Bellini
Photography by Noraa
composed of Raviolo Bellini and Saccottini Ciro.
that was paired with a crisp Ferrari Brut
Rosé. Then, a primo plate of two of our
favorite dishes at Villa Bellini, their
Ravioli Belllini with lobster and Ciro’s
Saccottini with its heavenly truffle sauce
and filling, was served and matched with
a 2014 Trerose Rosso di Montepulciano that
did not overpower the delicate flavors of
the pasta preparations. The meat course
of Veal Saltimbocca with creamy mashed
potatoes was enhanced with a 2011
Bertani Villa Arvedi Amarone that was
smooth but hearty with the well-known
flavor of that grape. Good quality veal is
the heart of this dish, and this veal was
more than worthy of the light sauce that
accompanied it.
Next came plates of Red Snapper
topped with caviar and served with
lightly sautéed fresh squash and
88 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016