Waiting for the thaw at Stagioni
Sure flowers are nice. Warm air and sunshine are ok too, but the best part about spring is by far the vegetables. Fava beans, asparagus, fresh herbs and greens are well worth the long winter. With the spring growing season in full force, I figured the best way to celebrate was with a local, seasonal dinner. Seasonal restaurants in Pittsburgh seem are available by the handful, so I made reservations at the most obvious choice: Stagioni, the Italian word for seasons.
Dining at Stagioni is more like eating at your great Aunt Martha’s than in a restaurant. The “cozy” Bloomfield restaurant is quite comparable in size to the dining room in my own home. Although it was quaint, the other rowdy diners we had the pleasure of being in close contact with for the evening made the experience more deafening than cozy.
In true Italian style, the meal started with fresh bread and an herb infused olive oil that was absolutely divine. I could have (and perhaps should have) sated myself on bread alone. Almost as pleasantly surprising as hints of rosemary in olive oil were the plentiful vegetarian options in the menu. On the entree section alone there were vegetarian dishes for each Italian specialty including risotto, ravioli, and three different pasta dishes. Narrowing down choices is much easier than choosing just one so my dining partner and I decided to split the risotto and orrecchiette pasta; both boasted an array of spring flavors on the menu– bring on the seasons!
Of all spring fare, mint is the flavor that truly defines the season on my palate. Basil-mint pesto was featured in the pasta dish along with peas, mushrooms, leeks, and parmesan cheese; it sounded like the perfect combination of fresh, seasonal flavors. It still sounds good, however fresh and seasonal were two notes that the dish did not hit in my mouth. The pesto was noticeable only by the green color of several small gobs atop the pasta. The peas were minimal and tasteless, the mushrooms were so few they added nothing to the dish. As a whole, olive oil and pasta was the majority of my dinner.
Unfortunately, the orrecchiette upgraded from bland to delightful in comparison to the “risotto.” It came with fava beans, artichokes, and goat cheese in a parmesan broth topped with bread crumbs. On the menu it made my mouth water. On the table it made my eyes water. We were charged $16 for what amounted to no more than overcooked brown rice. The fava beans were overcooked, the broth was tasteless, and the dish as a whole could have used at a minimum salt and pepper and substantially less time on the burner.
The saving grave of the evening was our delightful waitress who was both attentive and pleasant. As for the remainder of dining at Stagioni, I should have stayed in hibernation.
