Ratamacue Stew

This past Friday, Cindee and I had dinner at Vivere in Chicago. Part of the Italian Village, we had seen this restaurant featured on the Food Network and were eager to eat there. We were not disappointed at all and found the ambience, wait staff, food, and wine selections outstanding. For our dinner we had:

Antipasti Freddi
Carpaccio di Cervo con Formaggio Tartufo Bianco
- thinly sliced raw Venison, white truffle chees, truffle oil, Michigan peaches, micro greens

Antipasti Caldi
Gnocchi di Tartufo Nero con Astice e Spinaci
- Homemade potato and black truffle dumplings, lobster, spinach, white wine shallot sauce

Paste
Agnolottini di Fagiano
- Homemade pheasant filled pasta; butter, sage, Parmigiano-Reggiano
Tordelli Di Coniglio E Porcini
- Tuscan style pasta filled with braised rabbit; and Prosciutto di Parma, wild mushrooms, butter, spinach.

Secondi
Capesante con Crosta di Porcini ai Ferri
- Seared sea scallops dusted with porcini powder and star anise; soft polenta, beluga lentils, shallot-wine sauce
Petto d'Anatra Arrostito con Mandorle
- Pan roasted duck breast encrusted with candied almonds; roasted butternut squash, mission figs, port reduction.

With dinner we had an excellent Barolo: 1999 Franco Molino Rocche dell'Annunziata