Back in July, I told you about my culinary adventure at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, including a class at the Viking Cooking School and a decadent dinner at The Steakhouse. I was recently invited back to Harrah’s for a different type of Viking Cooking School experience, and dinner at another of their incredible restaurants. It was yet another an amazing visit, full of even more perfect bites and delicious dishes!
My visit began with a wine tasting experience at the Viking Cooking School hosted by Francis Ford Coppola Expert Vintner, Tondi Bolkan. Tondi walked us through three wines from Francis Ford Coppola Winery’s Director’s Cut brand (Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir), a Cabernet Sauvignon from Coppola’s Rubicon Estate, and a Riesling from their Sofia brand, and explained the best ways to pair these wines with food.
Francis Ford Coppola's Sofia Riesling and Director's Cut Chardonnay
Francis Ford Coppola Expert Vintner Tondi Bolkan
We began with Sofia Riesling-poached seckling pears, topped with whipped Delice de Bourgogne (a triple-creme brie) and spiced baked pecans.
The pears were a fresh, light way to begin the evening, and paired beautifully with both the Sofia Riesling and the Director’s Cut Chardonnay. Next, we moved on to a huge array of meats and cheeses, paired with several of the wines being sampled that evening.
Seriously – I could have made a meal out of these unbelievable meats and cheeses! My favorites were, of course, the cheeses, including Cambezola (a combination of Camembert and Gorgonzola) and Rochetta (a tres leches brie).
Next up were petite lamb lollipops with a Director’s Cut Pinot Noir raspberry reduction and topped with fresh raspberries and quenelles of whipped Cambezola cheese. These were simply incredible!
One of the best parts about this wine and food pairing experience was that the food was being prepared in front of us by Viking Cooking School chefs as the night progressed, so we were able to see how each dish was prepared.
Our next pairing involved the Director’s Cut Zinfandel – manchego polenta squares were topped with vanilla-balsamic roasted duck, a sour cherry and Director’s Cut Zinfandel compote, and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. I have to admit, I was speechless with glee when I tasted these perfect little bites!
The last two bites were desserts, and were paired with the Rubicon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. We sampled mission figs topped with fall-spiced mascarpone, pink peppercorn honey, and “snow” made from finely-grated Valdeon (a Spanish blue cheese), as well as white chocolate mousse drizzled with Rubicon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon syrup. Although I usually think of red wine in general as ”heavier”, and more suitably paired with meat or strong cheeses, I truly enjoyed the pairing of these two lighter dessert bites with the Cabernet Sauvignon.
White chocolate mousse with vanilla Cabernet syrup
Mission figs with fall-spiced mascarpone, pink peppercorn honey and Valdeon "snow"
As if I hadn’t eaten enough during my fabulous experience at the Viking Cooking School, later that evening, I headed to Polistina’s Italian Ristorante for dinner.
Polistina’s serves traditional Italian comfort food at its absolute best! After I was seated and placed my order, I was served a basket of the most heavenly focaccia, along with some salumi, cheese and olives. I started my meal with one of my favorite Italian foods of all time – rice balls!
I absolutely loved these cheesy little pieces of heaven! The balls were studded with peas inside, and served with the most incredible, sweet marinara. I spoke to Chef Mike Laurenza about the marinara (I will gush about how fabulous he is later!), and it was obvious how much passion and pride he puts into his fresh tomato sauce. It really was that good – I wish it was possible to buy a case of Chef Laurenza’s marinara!
Next, I sampled one of the specials that evening – coho salmon with a white wine lemon sauce, accompanied by grilled arugula mashed potatoes and asparagus.
I have to admit, I lost my mind a little and started eating the salmon before I took a picture – see that bite out of the fish? This dish was just amazing – the salmon was cooked absolutely perfectly, and the sauce was delicious! The grilled arugula mashed potatoes were my favorite – the arugula still had some crunch left after being grilled, which made a wonderful contrast to the silky smooth, creamy mashed potatoes.
Next, I had the most amazing pasta dish (I realize fish first, then pasta is a little backward, but that was my fault – I ordered it that way…). Trofie pasta, a twisted pasta from Italy’s Liguria region, was served with creamy pesto on a bed of potato puree.
Talk about comfort food! This was simple, but absolutely perfect. I could have cozied up to this dish with a big, comfy sweater and a crackling fireplace…
I was so completely stuffed after my fabulous dinner at Polistina’s that I ended my meal with something sweet, but light – swirls of delicious chocolate, vanilla and pistachio gelato. The dessert menu looked wonderful – I will definitely have to save room during my next visit!
Remember I said I would gush about Chef Mike Laurenza? I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet him and speak with him during my meal. His passion and excitement about the food is evident from the moment you meet him, and he is an incredibly talented chef! He genuinely wants to make sure every diner is happy – and very, very full! Chef Laurenza really is the heart of Polistina’s Italian Ristorante.
Wow! That was a very long post about a truly fabulous visit to Harrah’s Resort – thanks for reading it all the way to the end! And just wait…the next day, I headed to The Pier Shops at Caesars for a cooking demonstration at Phillips Seafood! Keep an eye out Friday for the details about Chef Paul Drew’s American version of the Feast of the Seven Fishes!
