Pick of the Month: Ferraro's Kitchen
Cozy dining with outdoor options are on offer at Ferraro’s Kitchen and Bites in Blue Ridge, GA
AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER
Pick of the Month:
FERRARO’S KITCHEN
I kept hearing people talk about an Italian restaurant in Blue Ridge, Georgia that sounded new to me. Why hadn’t I already discovered this wonderful place with the chef from Venice offering authentic bites in a casual spot right next door to his cozier formal dining room?
Why in all my walkabouts had I not wandered upstairs to the inviting place where the crowds sat outside enjoying the day along with their wine and appetizers while speaking the language of foody heaven? Hello Ferraro’s Kitchen! I know you now and am ready to share.
SOME HISTORY
The family-owned restaurant is a second spot for Chef Igor Ferraro and his wife Christina. Having established their style and flavors in the “Mimo district” of Miami, they have brought it now to Blue Rdige, creating accessible menus prepared with the finest ingredients and presented in two casual, comfortable dining environments.
Chef believes that ingredients should be stellar and simply prepared with kind and efficient service. He is batting a thousand having met all objectives while beautifully pairing his menu choices with some of the best wines available. A background as a sommelier will do that for you.
two choices
You have a choice of two places to dine; the Bites location is right next door to the fancier Kitchen location. Bites has been offering three-course lunch or dinner menus that price $35 and $60 respectively. You get your choice of one of three options on each course for a very memorable dining experience.
For our visit, we decided on the Kitchen option since we were celebrating the holidays. Stepping inside the cozy dining room, you get the aromas of Italian herbs and fresh bread mixed with the heavenly scents of seafood, sauces and cheese. The colorful Italian glasses on the table settings set off the copper light fixtures and soft contemporary design to create just the right atmosphere on a cold winter’s day.
The open kitchen view brings all the sounds of food prep to bear. Dish after dish of pastas, apps and entrees pop out to be whisked away by muscled Italian servers with dreamy accents dressed in classy gray slacks, white shirts and suspenders.
COCKTAILS & FIRST COURSEs
There are lots of fabulous choices on the menu that meet the simple prep fresh ingredients test. You will want a cocktail while studying on it but remember, the wine list is special by the bottle or the glass. We sipped on martinis and negronis while munching on the fresh bread which had the best of peppery olive oil for dipping.
Wonderful fresh bread with a peppery olive oil and signature cocktails
Pair the bread with a lovely Caprese di Mozzarella with organic tomatoes, fresh cheese and basil with a nice pour of that super olive oil and you got yourself perfection on a plate. This is what Italians get so right when making food; keep it simple stupid!
You can always go for the classic Caesar which is better than you could ever make it at home because of the way the dressing is made. There is also a delicious Greek choice that highlights black olives and feta cheese.
SECOND COURSE
We were looking forward to Vitello Tonnato which I had seen on the website and were super disappointed to find it was offered only on the Miami menu. I am unsure why Chef Igor thinks only Floridians would like thin slices of veal with a saucy pour round of savory tuna and capers love. I assure you that is not the case for anyone who has had the tradtional dish prepared by an Italian who knows what they are doing. Shout out to add it please!
Thinly shaved venison carpaccio is served both simply and pretty
Having said that, you can not go wrong by having one of the carpaccio dishes as your second choice. I was very pleased to see that instead of the usual beef, the chef was preparing tuna or venison and we opted for venison. So paper thin, you could see through it and the slightly gamy taste was well suited to the simple addition of arugula, cracked black pepper, crispy parmesan chips and tart lemon citronette. I’m sure the tuna would be equally good with shaved black truffles on board.
THIRD COURSE
Since our second course was light we decided to go with a pasta dish for our third course. Fiocchi di pere e gorgonzola defies description. The pasta pocket is al dente with such sweetness from pears and no other cheese choice would have complemented it like the gorgonzola in the smooth rich sauce. Add on the earthy, garlic truffle oil with a hint of onion flavor and there are just no words that properly convey the sophisticated flavor profiles of this dish.
The plate could have benefitted visually from a sprinkle of fresh herb but I think the chef decided nothing should interfere with the primary tastes of the simple dish. This is a kitchen that knows what it’s doing. No matter what pasta you choose like pappardelle with wild boar, paccheri with seafood or spaghetti cacio and pepe prepared in a warm ooey gooey cheese round of Parmesan Reggiano, you’re gonna love what you get here.
If you have room for the main courses, then go for it. We did not, but if we had skipped a few things we would have liked to try a venison filet with wild berry sauce or a lamb ossobuco with lemon and rosemary gremolata. A fresh catch of the day and a Chilean sea bass are the choices for the folks who don’t like meat.
Pear pockets in gorgonzola sauce with white truffle oil is rich and delicious
DESSERT AND AFTER DINNER
As families and dates lingered to enjoy their Saturday meals, many were sipping glasses of grappa with a small espresso on the side. We joined in and found the grappa to be excellent and the espresso fresh, rich and flavorful served with the correct sized spoon and cup that so many American restaurants get wrong.
Don’t skip dessert as the usual suspects are all on offer in the classic style you would expect. Ask for an affogato if vanilla and espresso are your thing. Choices of sorbets and gelatos will please for a lighter pick. Those with a sweet tooth might prefer tiramisu or cannoli but the chocolate temptation with hazelnut cream and crunch is the surefire winner. Bellissimo!
STUFF TO DO
Blue Ridge is a destination tourist area with lots of interesting retail, art galleries, bars and restaurants. It is a great place to spend the day doing leisurely browsing in book stores and antique shops while hopping in and out of wine tastings. Don’t forget to grab a ticket for a holiday train trip. There is still an operating drive -in running two movies a night when the weather cooperates. There are also some pretty cool rentals and hotels for weekend trips with views and fireplaces for cold weather visits.
Ferraro’s made the list here along with some other best spots
CONCLUSION
Ferraro’s is our new Italian hot spot place to be. It’s perfect to include on your five-star weekend getaway with friends, a romantic pick for date night or wedding rehearsal, a super Sunday brunch idea or just a drive up for a special lunch anytime place. Get the idea? Mangi mangi…
If you enjoyed what you read, you might also enjoy other posts under Edible Fare. There you will find restaurant reviews, recipes, foodie tips and best spots to eat in a variety of cities. I also put emphasis on food experiences in my travel posts under Explore the World. Until next time…
Cheers!
ArtsyChowRoamer
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