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End of Summer Feast at Mio with Nicholas Stefanelli and Bev Eggleston


spl170

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Mio will be hosting a End of Summer Feast. An 8 course summer harvest is being prepared by Nicholas Stefanelli and Tom Wellings (former alums of Maestro and Fiamma) Bev Eggleston will be a co-host of the dinner. The dinner is set for Saturday the 20th of September. The cost is $95 (excluding drink, gratuity and tax) Reservations are limited call 202.955.0075 to reserve a seat at the table.

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Dinner last night was excellent! My favorite dishes were the roasted leg and the panna cotta. Looking forward to the new place that Nick will be opening in Tenleytown.

The End of Summer Feast

"Charcuterie"

Housemade Sausage with Fennel, Fennel Salad

Crispy Pork Belly, White Bean Puree, Root Beer

24 Hour Slow Roasted Leg, Sherry Apple Puree, Virginia Peanuts

Roasted Loin, Grits, Carolina Prawn, Marango Sauce

Tomato Granita

Mascarpone Panna Cotta, Summer Peaches, White Beer, Sorrel

Grilled Black Figs, Shortbread, Nepitella

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Because of a communication error, our reservation was for 6:00, even though I had called and asked about the special dinner. To Manuel's credit, he realized this yesterday afternoon and called us to work it out. "Old lady" that I am, I knew I couldn't last through a dinner that was starting after 7:30, so we decided to keep our 6:00 table, knowing that whatever we ate would be great.

Chef Nicholas very graciously served us the special "End of Summer" menu. It was spectacular!

I took pictures of some of the courses. I got so excited about the pork loin and prawn course that I forgot to shoot a picture!

I have to say that, after five courses of pig in various, glorious forms, I did not feel overwhelmed or full, nor was my palate dulled. Amazing! When I have tasting dinners like this, I often feel overwhelmed long before dessert, and end up refusing the last few sweet offerings. But last night I enjoyed every bite thoroughly. The flavors and textures were all nicely balanced. Rich pork belly with a little white bean puree to cut the richness without dulling it. Roasted pork loin with the lighter texture of a grilled prawn, and nicely chewy grits. Keeping the number of flavors on each plate, I think, played up the flavors of the pork preparations and did not overwhelm the palate. The portions of each dish were relatively small, but all added up to a perfect amount of pork.

The desserts, too, were well-balanced, and not all sugary sweet. The tomato granita was actually tomato water with vanilla. The acid of the tomato water cut through the vanilla nicely, making for a perfect palate refresher. The mascarpone panna cotta was balanced by the beer foam, and the figs were quite happily paired with a bite of shortbread that wasn't so sweet as to overshadow the fruit, and minty nepitella for a little accent.

I'm so glad we didn't miss the menu, if we did just miss the event. We saw the participants in the bar, just about to be seated as we were leaving.

I see a very bright future for Chef Nicholas Stefanelli, and I think Mio appreciates their fortune in having him in the kitchen.

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