Chef Scott Romano Leads Anniversary Series At Battuto

by Steven Doyle

Last night w checked in at Battuto Italian Kitchen, the fantastic Gene and Julie restaurant located up in the ‘burbs on Preston Road. The occasion was one of several marvelous evenings with a guest chef at the kitchen helm. Last night was first in the series, featuring chef Scott Romano who is now exec chef at the Frisco Gun Club. You may recall Romano’s stint at Charlie Palmers located at the Joule in Dallas. This evening was definitely a throwback to those days.   

We started off with a few Battuto signature cocktails; the first was a martini sweetly laced with cucumber, the other a beautiful homage to figs.  When owner Gene Gates described the cocktails you could hear the passion behind his concoctions.

Romano started us off with a rabbit agnolotti with black garlic, peas, pecorino and mushroom puree. All the dishes tonight reminded us why we enjoyed Romano so much, and why we might have to take up arms and join the Frisco Gun Club to dine with the man each night.

Next, we enjoyed a raviolo with fresh ricotta, pork belly, fava beans, roasted garlic and oregano. The raviolo contained a savory surprise with a ever-so-slightly cooked egg yolk in the center. What joy it was to watch as a rush of the golden liquid center spilled out onto our plates with the touch of our forks.

The star of the evening was definitely the pappardelle and grilled baby octopus with broccolini, preserved lemon, and chili porchetta. Tender bites of pasta relented beside the tiny charred octopus that had a slight crunch on the outside, and a perfectly chewless center in the middle.  Pretty sure there were a choir of cherubs strumming lutes in the back of our heads as we enjoyed this dish.

We look forward to the next chef in the series, and you should definitely make reservations to secure these coveted seats. The dishes are served ala carte, and reservations can be made through out the evening. Battuto has two more dinners already on the books, including a five-course tasting menu from Chef Andre Natera on April 8th and an exciting collaboration between Chefs Kent Rathbun and Richard Chamberlain on April 16th. Call  972-930-0558 to make your reservations.