Seafood Risotto Milanaise

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It feels just like sitting at a table in a dear friend's house - well, as long as the friend is a remarkable cook with a flair for charming interior decor! That's what came to mind last Tuesday night as we settled into a cozy corner table at Toscano Café and Bistro with friends Dawn Schmidt and Norm Blais to enjoy one another's company and some truly elevated comfort food. While still contemplating the night's menu, our server Margaret brought over a plate of beautifully crisp goat cheese ravioli as an appetizer for us to share. If it hadn't been for that, I would have made my way over to the Beef Carpaccio with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano to start. But my particular worry this evening was the possibility of running out of appetite, which is a valid concern at Toscano. Owner/chef Jon Fath is generous in his plating style. This quality, along with the fresh breadbasket and green salad that accompany his lovingly created entrees, make the concern legit.

Each of us had easily settled on a plate from the Mediterranean-inspired options that Toscano has built its reputation on for the past nine (yikes - nine!) years. I can still remember when Jon and wife Lucie first hung out their shingle. At the time, I wondered whether Richmond would be able to support the restaurant, and would it be able to draw customers from more populated surrounding towns. Yes and yes.

Both Norm and I settled back to enjoy Fath's Seafood Risotto Milanaise. Much as Italy and pasta go hand in hand, recipes from northern Italy use rice as the starch of choice. This classic risotto features saffron, which not only enhances the richness of the rice, but gives a beautifully tinted Tuscan-esque color to the dish. Atop the risotto were large, plump shrimp, scallops, and mussels. Lots of them. It was a truly luscious plate.

My husband Matt had pork - he was wooed by the plate's description as "Vermont Maple Syrup brined." Lucie Fath explained that the pork loin was soaked overnight in a mixture of maple syrup and orange juice, along with salt and spice. With the sweet and moist pork came a zesty apple onion chutney and a mountain of garlic mashed potatoes. Depending on the night, the roasted/sauteed vegetable accompaniment might be Fath's renowned Brussels sprouts, although this evening it was a lovely vegetable trio.

Dawn opted to return to Toscano's classic Italian selections with her choice of Chicken Piccata - perfectly prepared in a light lemony wine sauce, which was home to capers, artichokes, and sundried tomatoes. Like the rest of us, she was more than satisfied... both with the flavor and the tenderness of the chicken in its traditional piquant sauce.

Not a complaint could be heard - in fact, there were only compliments to the chef. When food is this good, the companionship around the table also seems enhanced. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Margaret was a wonderfully attentive server, as was Max, the bartender and the Fath's oldest son. I think one of the reason's Toscano feels so comfortable is the relationships that have come to flourish over the years; the Fath's other two sons have each worked there, as have Margaret's mother and sister.

Then came coffee. How odd that I think the joy and spirit of being at Toscano is represented by its unexpected choice of ...coffee cups. In a quirky decision made nine years ago, the Fath's decided to serve coffee in the same mugs produced by Vermont Public Radio for its fundraising efforts. Of the four of us, no two had the same mug: mine featured the very creative artwork of Ed Koren. It spawned great amusement and conversation. According to Lucie, the tradition started when the Fath's donated food for a VPR fundraiser and received mugs as a thank you gift. Since then, the mugs have been put to good use every day, and the imaginative uniqueness of the Toscano experience is reinforced with every cup of coffee served.

Toscano is open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch at 27 Bridge St. in Richmond. Reservations are appreciated: call 434-3148. And think of me when coffee is served.