Last week I sort of panicked when I realized July is basically over, and I didn’t feel like I’d enjoyed my fill of tomatoes, peaches, and corn – my holy southern summer trinity. Thus, I’ve been making tomato salads and eating peaches all week, and my brother made an outstanding gazpacho on Sunday evening. I haven’t got into the corn yet, but tonight I’m making creamed corn ravioli with corn pesto.
But yet I still have not had enough; luckily the 9th annual Tomato Feast at La Tavola is currently on-going. Katie and I concurred that we must go, dining budget be damned. The special tomato based menu launched July 25 and ends this Saturday night. I don’t want to be all blogger “run don’t walk”, but Chef Banda is putting out some really fantastic food, and a little hyperbole is befitting – it was one of the most satisfying meals in a long time.
Katie’s Anson Mills farro salad appears so simple, but the tomatoes laced with basil vinaigrette were stupidly flavorful. The pork cheek crespelle is also highly recommended – the warm crepe of tender pork is delicious – comforting, with a smoky and lively tomato sauce.
I wish I had been able to photograph my favorite dish – the salmon crudo, with tender “leaves” of salmon atop crisp, thin ribbons of cucumber, in a lemon scented broth of tomato water, with which they should really serve a spoon, or at least offer a to-go cup.
Other dishes not photographed – rabbit sausage risotto (I wanted the sea urchin pasta, they ran out), and the ricotta ravioli with shrimp. No problem with either, though both were overshadowed by the excellence of the appetizers.
Getcher tomaters.
Katie afforded me two welcome bites of the green tomato and peach crostada, sweet and acidic, with a healthy dose of salt.
More Radikon from Le Caveau – the photo may be blurry, but the color of this white wine from Friuli is pretty much how it appears in person.
Katie told me – “I’ve always wanted to be a meme“.
