Lauro Newsletter :: Winter 2006

There is room at the inn!

As this year ends and a new one begins, let’s get back to basics. No matter what you may have read or heard, the reality is we are ready to seat you every night of the week with practically no wait.

Granted, 7 pm on Saturday night means a stop at the bar. A cocktail later, we’ll take you right to your table. No posing, no hype, no hard sell -- simply excellent food. We are proud to offer the best value, the most unpretentious and knowledgeable service at the “happiest dining room” in town.

This issue is all about the fantastic food and drink you love at Lauro. Read on, anticipate with pleasure the specials on tap for New Year’s Eve and together, let’s celebrate the season.

Our seasonal winter menu includes Catalan Onion and Almond Soup, Duck Confit with Pomegranate Glaze and Spiced Lentil Salad, Pork and Clams “Alentejo” with Roasted Peppers and Potatoes, Stuffed Lamb Shoulder with Creamy Polenta and Salsa Verde, Fresh Egg Tagliatelle with Bolognese Ragu and Butternut Squash Tortellini with Hazelnut Sage Butter. Seasonal dessert highlights include Warm Apple Crisp with Calvados Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce and Ginger Cake with Poached Pear and Cider Zabaglione.

view our winter menu

New Year’s Eve: Very Special Specials

Chef de Cuisine Jennifer Buehler presents her first palette of New Year’s Eve dishes in her new role as the “Top Toque” of the Lauro line. We’ll also welcome you with a flute of bubbly with our compliments. Dine from our seasonal menu or select a special special. Consider some of Jennifer's creations:

Shrimp Bisque with Pernod, Oven Roasted Scallops with Orange Saffron Beurre Blanc, Risotto with Dungeness Crab, Caramelized Leeks and Mascarpone Cheese, Grilled Ahi Tuna with Garnet Yam Puree, Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta with Pomegranate Walnut Vinaigrette, Roasted Ribeye of Beef with Potato-Fennel Gratin and Wild Mushroom Port Wine Sauce. An additional dessert offering is Chocolate Cherry Parfait.

Gift Certificates: Everybody Loves Lauro

Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen gift certificates are an easy and ideal gift. Neighbors, teachers, your masseuse, life coach or hairdresser all appreciate a wonderful dinner and evening out thoughtfully gifted by you. Fill their stockings with something they’ll appreciate and enjoy. Stop in after noon to have a gift certificate prepared for the most deserving on your list. Or email us at info@laurokitchen.com and we will take care of the rest.

Red Wine: Daren says “Delicious”

As winter approaches we bulk up by adding several new red wines to our list at Lauro. Daren has been tasting, buying and selling wine for 20 plus years. Daren tastes every bottle we buy with a critical palate and makes changes to our list on a weekly basis. Wines are carefully selected for their food compatibility, flavor profile, and their high value.

Cornas, “Granit 30”, Domaine Vincent Paris, France ’04 is brand new to our list. This wine hails from France’s northern Rhone region where Syrah grapes are worshipped. Many producers in the Rhone blend their wines with other red or white varietals. Cornas does not. Thirty year old vines and fine granitic soil produce a wine that is full-bodied, fruit forward, confident but not aggressive. You might taste dried cherries or blackberries. Tart, strong, the color of black plums, this is a wonderful wine. We have 12 bottles to start and we hope to get 12 more for early 2007.

Pair this wine with the Braised Short Ribs of Beef with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and Rapini. Braised in tamarind, balsamic vinegar and port, then finished with cayenne pepper the meat is tender and rich. This satisfying supper is perfect with the warming and bold Cornas that stands up to the sweet and sour flavors of the short ribs.

Notes from the Bar: Cocktails Anyone?

Three new cocktails have hit the chalkboard for your consideration. Hendrick’s Negroni is, as Gentleman Bartender Doug Paquin likes to say, “all booze”. This burnt orange classic cocktail features Hendrick’s, a high quality, small batch gin that includes juniper, mint, coriander and cucumber. Light and fresh, Hendrick’s is an ideal base for additional flavors. Sweet Vermouth adds texture and a syrupy quality. Campari’s anise flavor adds just a hint of bitter to the mix. Served straight up in a martini glass with a decorative twist of orange peel - the more you sip, the more you want.

Prefer something fizzy, fruity and fantastic? Choose the Italian Fizz: Proseco, blood orange juice and ginger syrup. To calm the chill or warm your spirit, try the must-have Brandy Alexander. Brandy, Tia Maria, steamed milk and finished with cinnamon and nutmeg. Creamy and frothy sips taste layered with cocoa and nougat and a hint of spice.

From our families to yours, thank you for your continued patronage. We wish you the happiest of holidays.

Lauro Kitchen is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday and Monday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Complimentary parking is available in our private lot on the west side of the building. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Please try to arrive early to insure a table for you and your party.

Please note that we will be closed December 24th through December 26th and January 1st.

Salud,

David Machado Chef and Owner Lauro Kitchen

Daren Hamilton General Manager and Partner Lauro Kitchen