It's pretty funny when you meet someone in person because they often are totally different than what you expected. When Nick Spinelli walked in I was expecting Lou Costello but he had more of a Sean Connery vibe. Nick and his lovely wife Leslyn joined us for dinner at Marco Polo.
We met at the store and we showed our sizzle reel so they could get an idea of the show we wanted to do instead of what we ended up doing. Then we closed up the store and walked across the street to Marco Polo.
We hadn't been back since our vacation so everybody in the joint had to come over and say hello at one time or another during the night.
We stated with cocktails before dinner as we perused the menu. I did what I normally do which is order off the menu. We ordered a mixed platter of meats and cheeses. Soppressata, prosciutto and speck with grana panda, ricotta salada and provolone. Figs, olives, walnuts and honey.
Then we did a mixed hot appetizer. Mozzarella en carozza , eggplant rollatini and stuffed mushrooms.
Of course we switched to wine and enjoyed a nice Malbac with went down very smoothly with all of the food. The girls enjoyed the wine. It made everything nice and blurry. Heh.
I like to order the appetizers because I want what I want so we can go off the menu. But everyone picked their own main courses. I recommended the wine fettuccine made in the cheese wheel and Leslyn decided to give that a shot. They do a big presentation where the cook the pasta on a little cart. They shave cheese out of the giant cheese wheel making a bunch of shredded pieces. Then they put the cooked pasta in the wheel and mush it around until it as cheesy as Wisconsin on a summer day. I told our favorite waiter Jay to not let me down and do it right. I think he did a good job.
Now the veal chop is very tasty but Lisa loves it parmigiana style with sauce and mozzarella. Nick opted to try it as he said he had not had veal for a while. Both dishes came out and just looked delicious.
I went for the tried and true cavatelli with the hot spicy sausages and roasted tomato. Good stuff.
We sat and talked and laughed and told stories as people came and went. We closed the joint. Off course we went off to the bar for a nightcap and to say hello to Tony the Bartender who was back from his vacation in Brazil. We said goodbye in the cold air outside because somehow the weather had turned a little chilly.
Nick and Lesyln were back on the road the next day and Lisa and I were back in the store.
The belly to belly summit was a great success. We missed youse guys. Hopefully someday we can all get together and share some veal parmigiana.
