I love this time of year. Magic is in the air.
So is the smell of roast pork and wood smoke, and little white fluffy things that fall from the sky. After a cold afternoon in Altamont, exploring the charming downtown during the
Annual Victorian Holiday Celebration, eating all the free cookies I could find, begging for roast pork samples at
Mio Vino, buying a raffle ticket at the
Altamont Free Library, and doing a little shopping, Cookie and I buzzed back towards town and an early dinner at
Tesoro Italian Restaurant (located in another attractive strip mall in Guilderland, NY).
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| Brightly lit, attractive exterior in 20 Western Mall |
The restaurant is actually quite lovely, and the staff gracious. We sat at the bar and each enjoyed a glass of wine - Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc for me ($9.50/glass, overpriced, but it also has magic), and Kendall Jackson Chardonnay for my friend ($9.00/glass, ditto). Okay, we had more than one, but that's another story...
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| Early on it was quiet except for a party in the back room full of lively jokesters |
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| Comfortable bar - they do a brisk takeout business |
Cookie went for the Calamari Fritti app ($9.50) - a generous serving of tender battered squid served with a boatload of delicious marinara. It needed a bit of salt, but that was easily remedied. I've never met anything fritti that wasn't a magic moment and a guilty pleasure at the same time.
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| Calamari Fritti - lots of crispy fried bites |
A simple salad with house Italian started my meal off right. I forgot to take a picture - one cherry tomato, one slice of cuke, shredded carrot, canned black olive slices, and really fresh chopped Romaine - it was just the right size, nice dressing, predictable but still enchanting.
I went for the Manicotti with Marinara ($15.95). Perfect al dente pasta sheets wrapped around sweet creamy fresh ricotta filling, with a delicious bright marinara on top. It wasn't baked, no mozz on top, no parm at the table, merely combined on the plate and served simple and hot. I watched the wine disappear, again, and my dinner. EXCELLENT ENTREE. I ate the whole thing...........
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| Before |
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| After, just like magic!!! |
Manicotti, like Christmas, is magic and has superpowers. It's also warm and comforting and rich, but at the same time zesty.
Just like me.
Happy Holidays!!! xxx Zena, Goddess of Fire
2 comments:
What no muzzarell, on that manigott, just gravy? (sorry, my North Jersey sneaks out at times)
It looks fantastic, I'll have to venture out that way.
Next time I'm out there I'll skip Marissa's Place and go here instead.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
-OCtG
One of the best Italian places in the Cap Dist.
Ssh, Don't tell anyone...
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