Posted on May 10, 2007 - by Enoteca

Dining Out: Raising The Wine Bar

A quintet of chefs from different regions of Italy deliver a stellar new addition to the North Shore dining scene.

By Pamela Silvestri
Staten Island Advance

Enoteca Maria in St. George created ripples in the borough when it opened three months ago. At the time, Denise and Jody Scaravella’s concept seemed so romantic, perhaps even far-fetched: Every day women from different regions of Italy would take turns in the kitchen preparing lunch and dinner.

In practice, the idea is brilliant. At the very least, it’s a unique endeavor that is orchestrated quite well. So far, Enoteca Maria has been blessed with some good people management and the bonus of a warm, passionate staff. By the way, “enoteca” means “wine bar” in Italian. Maria is Mr. Scaravella’s late mother’s name.

Lunch and dinner menus are updated daily like clockwork before meal times on the restaurant’s Web site. That’s just outstanding! It makes Enoteca Maria the only Staten Island restaurant to take advantage of the Internet in such a way.

Beyond a glass curtain wall, the Enoteca’s dining room can best be described as laid back, industrial environs. Metal fans hook into a jet black ceiling and light comes from caged glass bulbs. Marble floors and gray marble subway tile contribute to a modern, Roman look.

Somewhere in a downstairs kitchen, the Italian ladies hand-craft potato gnocchi, ravioli and Pappardelle ribbons. They bake herbed focaccia and neatly fold cookies with jam and nutella. They produce rudimentary layer cakes out of fresh cream, liquor-soaked sponge cake and fruit.

Teresa, Caterina, Argentina, Nina and Patrizia – the cooks who respectively hail from Palermo, Torretta, Marche, Salerno and Rome – may leave their post behind the stove to check on customers’ reactions.

Not to worry, ladies! Clams in Vongole di Salsa Piccante – Littlenecks bathed in slightly spiced, thin red sauce – were plump and fresh. The Pasta Girasole was an absolute thriller with tubes of fine quality penne tossed in an electric orange sauce made from tomatoes, roasted sunflower seeds and the essence of rendered sweet sausage. Paninis – sometimes tucked with smoked salmon, sometimes with grilled veggies – are made with awesome bread.

Slices of bread topped with anchovy butter and fresh mozzarella (croustini con alici) for lunch one day was simple and fabulous. I think about that item once in a while and the memory makes me salivate.

Bay leaf or thyme-tinged stews cooked separately with oxtail, veal, rabbit and lamb were outrageous. Farro made an unbelievable presence in an already stunning minestrone soup. At one point, Ms. Scaravella offered artisanal cheeses, a wonderful thing to see in a wine bar. Customers weren’t adventurous with such treasures and, alas, those cheeses have gone by the wayside. (Oh, please bring them back.)

Four little treats – like an amuse bouche – with focaccia arrive prior to the meal on miniature square plates. These are always a delightful surprise. See the occasional appearance of Gaeta olives and parsley flecked, vinegar button mushrooms or fresh (yes, fresh!), tender artichoke hearts. Occasionally catch sun-dried tomatoes dotted with vibrant green pine nut pesto or corn (fresh-shaven from the cob) tossed with fennel and carrot discs. All food is presented on matching turquoise platters and mini-plates.

Yes, there is a downside to such fluid menues: Favorite dishes may never be featured again unless the staff is given a few day’s notice. And fussy eaters face a menu limited to about a dozen items. Could Enoteca Maria be extending the best selection of wines by the glass we’ve seen so far on Staten Island? I say yes.

Oenophiles will appreciate how wine is handled in general. For instance, Ms. Scaravella gingerly plucks stemware from an overhead rack with a soft cloth. Hence the customer receives a crystal clear, fingerprint-free goblet. (Note that these are the kinds of goblets a foodie would find in first-class Manhattan restaurants.) Carefully chosen Italian wines are offered by the glass, bottle and even by the flight. Jody Scaravella frequently pops new bottles, enthusiastically offers a taste to guests and asks their opinions. The gesture certainly wins friends.

While Enoteca Maria is fabulous in the wine department, there is just one teensy criticism due to the realities of properly storing its vast inventory: Red wines are sometimes a bit too chilled. Other quibbles include the matter of paper napkins. The high-quality, disposable kind or real linen ones are much more dignified when eating such great food. I also felt that sugar packets tucked on espresso and cappuccino saucers were a diner-esque touch. Surely there’s a more graceful way of handling the condiment.

A remarkable restaurant requires a complete package, one that features honest food, superior ingredients, sincere hospitality and proprietors who are totally into their work. No doubt, Enoteca Maria has all of that. My great hopes are that it can sustain its momentum and that Islanders will see the value in supporting such a unique Island restaurant.

(Reposted courtesy of The Staten Island Advance)