If the one thing you are missing this holiday season is an amazing meal, Giada has you covered.
Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis’ restaurant at the Cromwell is serving her own take on the Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition where people customarily refrain from meat and dairy and instead gorge on gifts from the sea.
And gorge we did at the preview dinner for this stunning spread. The first course features fried appetizers—salt cod (baccala) fritters, lobster arancini and fritto misto. The fritters are the fishiest of the bunch. The arancini are perfectly shaped rice balls, correctly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Lobster, rice and cheese work harmoniously, creating a super bite. The calamari in the fritto misto is breaded with panko, keeping a light yet firm texture. My minor quibble: I would have liked a lemon wedge to sprinkle some acid on top of the crunchy squid.
The second course is on another level. It’s a choice of spaghetti with clams or lemon prosecco risotto with shrimp, and it's a tough decision. The spaghetti might sound ordinary but it’s the best version of the dish I've ever tasted. The fresh pasta has the perfect amount of bite and the heat in the aftertaste is just right. And don’t worry, clam lovers, there are plenty on this plate.
Giada's lemon prosecco risotto.
Risotto is usually mild, but Giada’s is aggressive with lemon and lusciously creamy thanks to a healthy dose of mascarpone cheese. Add four plump, juicy shrimp and you have a rewarding dish.
The main course offers either salt-crusted branzino for two or grilled lobster with citrus herb butter. The branzino is quite the visual, featuring the restaurant’s logo branded into the crust, while the fish itself is light and mild with the accompanying herb oil adding another layer of flavor. While it’s a favorite for many, I prefer lobster all the way. Giada is known as a California cook and this is a perfect beach dinner, chunks of fresh lobster served inside the shell that are good enough without any topping. The citrus butter along with some lemon are worthy foils for the crustacean. Sides of broccoli rabe and fried smashed potatoes with, you guessed it, lemon, round out the course nicely.
Dessert features interesting riffs on panettone and doughnuts. Instead of traditional Italian sweet bread with fruit, Giada goes with a chocolate panettone bread pudding with orange crème anglaise. The other choice is struffoli, fried dough balls with sprinkles and honey caramel all topped with a smooth pistachio gelato.
The feast, offered on December 24 and 25, includes four courses for $150 with wine pairing for an additional $70. If you get the chance to experience this memorable meal, it will indeed be a Merry Christmas.
Giada Cromwell, 855-442-3271.
