Toscana Divino Miami, has always been a Miami classic, the place to go for excellent, authentic Italian fare (per il vero italiano, for true Italian* says even my Italian foodie friends). You can always count on professional service that comes from owners along with a top manager working the restaurant, and a casual yet stylish ambiance that the Italians are known for. And now, under the direction of new executive chef Andrea Marchesin from Treviso, there’s a welcome addition : a new complementary menu they call “Moderna” that combines unlikely ingredients with classic dishes, uses new technologies, and unexpected plate presentations. The new menu is equally exciting and delicious, making choosing between the traditional and modern a serious dilemma
A perfect example of this was the amuse bouche of the truffle menu, celebrating the season of the prized black tuber. A champagne glass laid flat on a starched white dinner napkin held a dwarf peach resting on a bed of shaved truffle. We were enjoined to first smell the woodsy essence of the truffle and then, holding the stem of the glass, slide the contents into our mouths. The peach tasted like a mild olive, contrasting with the earthy and nutty taste of the truffle in a unique taste sensation .
Next up was a plate of charcuterie and cheese including house made salumi – porchetta ham with herbs, bresaola, and ricotta. Our favorite was the mini artichokes that had been soaked in water to remove any bitterness, charred, and then preserved in olive oil with salt and pepper. They had a rich, full flavor of artichoke, unlike any other, and almost melted in your mouth. (Toscana Divino sells them as well as other preserved vegetables and jams, all made in house – a wonderful hostess gift).
Another good choice for a starter is their burrata with ensalata caprese.
It was time for a dish from the traditional menu said the chef, so out came the tortelli, delicate purses of fine pasta that were filled with barely cooked spinach imparting a welcome freshness, along with creamy ricotta and a healthy dose of butter.
Then it was back to the “moderna”, a contemporary riff on seafood carbonara made with sea urchin caviar and bottarga ,its richness counterpointed by the slight saltiness of the caviar, and lovely to behold as well. How could we not have a risotto, and the one we choose was another standout, made with beef juice, mushroom stock, 65% cacao from Ecuador and topped with black chanterelles. We couldn’t taste the chocolate as everything blended together. In fact, if you had your eyes closed you couldn’t tell what was in the dish, but you’d enjoy every last morsel.
One of the more popular dishes is the steak, both the ribeye and the bistecca Fiorentina, the Italian answer to the American porterhouse. The 42 ounce Fiorentina was too large, so we tried the ribeye, US prime beef that was meltingly tender and beefy though less thick than we’re used to, served with chunky mashed potatoes with more than a dollop of butter.
It’s probably hard to believe, but we did have dessert after all this – a chestnut bombe, sponge cake filled with chestnut puree and covered in chocolate. And then we couldn’t resist a digestive, their housemade grappa which is infused with honey for several days as well as lavender.
We plan to return to try the five course truffle dinner for a special occasion with dishes ranging from veal tartare and tagliatelle with parmesan butter, both with white truffle from Piemonte to a filet with roasted kale,mashed potatoes and black truffle and a touch of whimsy — a cake lollipop. It’s $150 per person and will be offered through truffle season, the end of January.
Appetizers are priced in the high teens; pastas from $15 to $28 (half portions are available for some pastas); and entrees from $23 to $68 (porterhouse which feeds two is $98 and comes with several plated sides). There’s also a two course luncheon special for $23.
Glasses of wine start at $10 for a 5 ounce pour and bottles at $45.
Grab a seat in their outdoor patio and enjoy the crisp, cool days and nights of our winter season. And after that, walk off some of the calories with a stroll around Mary Brickell Village and a look at the new Brickell City Center – the dramatic “new” Miami.
Toscana Divino, Mary Brickell Village, 900 South Miami Avenue (T.305-930-6873).
