Ladies' Night Cleveland

Gusto!

Review by Rachel

Unequivocally, Little Italy loves the ladies. Perhaps its traditional Italian amore.  Or, maybe it is simply that chivalry is alive and well, just nestled into obscure pockets of Cleveland.  In either case, Little Italy is a local culinary hotspot, busier than The Q during a Hanna Montana concert.  (And no, we weren’t in attendance.)  So sure, we all crave Mama Santa’s pizza now and again.  But sometimes we just need a touch more sophistication, right?  Head on out to Gusto on a Wednesday evening for the Girls’ Night of Wine Flights. At only twenty dollars for a flight of three high-quality wines and a generously-sized appetizer, you really cannot go wrong. < xml="true" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" prefix="o" namespace="">

          We took our own advice and swung by Gusto on Wednesday, January 30^th.  We opted for two comfy bar seats where we were quickly greeted by the friendly, professional bartend Bill.  He presented us with the first question of the night- red or white wine?  Possibly swayed by the chilly weather, we both elected for the red flight.  As we patiently waited, we appreciated the pleasant abundance of tea light candles scattered about, producing dancing shadows off the warmly decorated walls.  No other restaurant in Cleveland genuinely recreates the true Italian ambiance like Gusto, with the delightful unconventional exception of having spacious tables.  (We always associated the cramped, “intimate” traditional dining with invasion of personal space…)

In a moment’s time, Bill lined up the three bottles of wine to be tasted.  The first was a Silver Palm Cab Sauv from North California, vintage 2005.  The well-balanced, medium-bodied wine had evident dark cherry flavors and was very much enjoyable.  The second was a Nipozzano Chianti Rufina, 2004. This particular bottle is highly regarded amongst Chiantis as being of superior quality, and did not disappoint us. The final two-ounce pour was of Barolo Bussia Giacosa Fratelli from the Piedmont region. The heaviest of the three, the Barolo was a fine finale.  All three of the wines paired nicely with our appetizer selection- Pan Seared Duck Breast, dusted with crushed, candied walnut and drizzled with blood orange coulis.  The mouth-watering duck was tastefully seasoned, with rosemary and pepper flavors predominating.  A sweet and slightly tangy orange port wine reduction sauce lathered the breast and sealed the deal-- this phenomenal dish is not to be missed.  We finished our meal with a glass of lemon gelato, which was refreshing with a perfect amount of zest.

The authentic dining experience was heightened by owner Ricardo Salerno’s masterful accordion performance.  Using a beautiful crafted instrument, Ricardo gracefully serenaded diners, progressing table to table with an occasion stay at the bar.  As Sinatra’s melodies were immortalized, we slowly sipped on our wines and enjoyed our personal concert. Rumors of a new sister restaurant had been circulating for some time now, but no official word as of yet.  Patience is a virtue… That we do not have! So, at the song’s finish, we pressed Ricardo for some more tidbits about the highly anticipated new restaurant opening up in Shaker Square.  A yet unnamed wine bar will be the triptych completion of the Salerno-owned restaurants, joining Gusto and Lago, located in Tremont.  The new venue will offer small bites and will boast an even more impressive wine offering.  Stay tuned to LNC for more updates- we hope to bring you more news soon. In the meantime, hold yourself over with a Girls’ Night of Wine Flights!

1/30/2008