FoodMayhem

Sara found a special deal going on at Aurora Aurora, Monday Regional Night, a 3 courses with wine pairings, for just $40. Each month they will focus on food and wine from a different region of Italy (this month is Puglia). I had to be skeptical, but as the night went on, they won me over.

I arrived a bit early and sat by the bar, where a few complimentary appetizers are offered for those drinking. I appreciated the glass of water, friendly conversation, and no pressure to order a drink as I waited for my friends.

We were seated in a cozy little dining room, and a bread bucket was dropped. We couldn’t get enough of the focaccia, all of us focusing on the soft onion-y little cubes, neglecting the other bread. A little amuse arrived, yellow beets, ricotta, and a drop of balsamic, which really surprised me as I thought the offer was already generous.

The first course, Porcini, Chickpea, and Baccala Soup, was hearty but not heavy, chunky and full of herbs. Unfortunately, it wasn’t heated evenly so the cold spots were annoying. The Negroamaro Rosato Del Solento paired well with the it, but I really enjoyed smelling it more than drinking it.

For the second course, two of us got the Orechiette with Broccoli Rabe, Hot Peppers, and Alici (anchovies). I didn’t taste the alici but it was an interesting way to have broccoli rabe, chopped up for a sauce.

The other option was Ricotta and Eggplant Ravioli that looked like dumplings. The tomatoes and pecorino were great but something about the filling was fibrous, possibly the eggplant skins. The pasta dough had a couple of hard spots too. The paired wine, Salice Salentino, was too dry for me, literally drying out the inside of my mouth, but having it with the food helped.

For the last course, two of us got the Red Snapper baked in parchment, opened table-side, which was simple, nothing wrong with it but nothing great about it either. The Primitivo del Salento by Punta Aquila, our last wine pairing, was my favorite, very fruity and easy to drink, resulting in me actually finishing the generous glass.

Two of us got the Il Duo Di Pollo. The chicken and prosciutto roll was a little hard but the chicken sausage was tender and moist, flavored well with fennel seeds. The eggplant parmigiana made it a complete and satisfying plate. The celery root puree was good but it didn’t work with the rest of the dish for me.

We ordered a Tiramisu for dessert (not part of the 3 course deal) and they stuck a candle in it for us, so we could celebrate Angela’s birthday. It’s a good size to share when often you’re too full for a full dessert after a three course meal.

Throughout, the service was great, and portions were generous. The food was not perfect, but there’s no denying that it’s still a great deal for $40.