Resorts restaurant Capriccio tops for fine Italian dining
FOR A TASTE OF WHAT REAL Italian cuisine is like -- in Italy -- Capriccio at Resorts International performs splendidly, as well as any American restaurant this writer has ever visited.
Dining on a busy Saturday night, our leisurely paced meal proved to be enchanting. We were thrilled to see a unique, traditional specialty, Fiori di zucchini friti (fried squash blossoms, $20), on the lengthy list of hot and cold appetizers.
The pair of tapered buds had been delicately stuffed with a downy, slightly sweet blend of cucumber, mascarpone cheese and crabmeat. After a quick swim in the deep fryer, these golden flowers arrived looking almost like pretty, dried roses. They were carefully balanced atop a bed of chunky pomodoro sauce, fragrant with bright green basil leaves.
Each bite of this truly spectacular vegetable item was rich from the luscious cheese and sunny with bright, squash flavors.
Our other appetizer, bruschetta con proscuitto ($15), was loaded with premium ingredients, including goat cheese, spinach, a soulful honey-braised apple marmalade and completed with a dark drizzle of fig balsamic syrup. Thinly shaved proscuitto was correctly added last, ensuring minimal exposure to heat, which negatively affects both the smoky taste and meltingly tender texture of Italy's finest cured ham.
The four thinly sliced breads also hadn't been overly toasted, making it easy to consume this tiered, multi-layer construct.
Splitting a middle course, we selected cudrid di spinaci ($11), one of a half dozen, heady, complex creations.
This featured plenty of impeccably fresh, tiny leaves of baby spinach. Tossed amid Popeye's favorite green were tart cubes of Barolo poached pears, their tannic red-wine essence infusing them mightily with red onion, chopped egg, grape tomatoes, pancetta and chunks of gorgonzola.
The atmosphere at Capriccio harkens back to another era in Atlantic City's history, when the soaring, modern hotels of the day ruled the Boardwalk.
Possessing a wide, panoramic ocean view, four immense crystal chandeliers and an eye-popping hall-of-mirrors' effect, the graceful front room here still remains a special dining space, a sort of grande dame of local casino restaurant facilities.
Fitting in nicely at those aquatic environs was my entree, Pesce Spada (Sicilian-style swordfish, $32). Another authentic regional dish -- including an exotic marinara sauce doused by the curious notes of olives, pine nuts, currents and capers -- which one rarely sees on this side of the pond.
Let that not distract from the real feature: firm, moist, delectable swordfish. Presented as two thick, rolled filets, the ivory meat was crusted and partially stuffed by what the menu described as an herbed breadcrumb mixture.
Risotto con aragosta (risotto with lobster, $44) brought a heaping bowl of short-grain rice, steamy, hot and romantic. Tossed throughout were slivers of roasted pepper, imparting a cool pinkish hue to the proceedings, and plenty of chunky, tender crustacean. The lobster was buttery and decadent, without the slightest evidence of chewiness.
Rice itself, like everything else on this evening, was faithfully represented. The chef wisely resisted adding dairy elements to his risotto, instead allowing the natural creaminess of the rice to develop as it was slowly and painstakingly worked. Completing this masterful entree, chanterelle mushrooms and shaved black truffle added contrasting yet complimentary facets.
Desserts, both priced at $8, were a suitable finish to an evening of inspired dining. Capriccio's take on Tart Tatin, the archetypal Gallic upside-down apple cake, was a complete success. Maple butter and a scoop of honey vanilla gelato accompanied the warm, luscious fruit and puff pastry.
Chocolate Supreme was an amalgamation of all great things cocoa: a round disc of dark chocolate mousse atop layered chocolate sponge cake and chocolate fudge, all enveloped within a decadent bittersweet ganache. Sambuca butter cream provided a lovely closing detail.
One new attraction that may have slipped under the radar is the elegant entertainment at the popular Sunday Brunch...
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