I still lament that the days of the true Taste of Hartford have gone. It used to be that you could exchange money for tickets, and then walk along Constitution Plaza, listening to live music and sampling food from a variety of restaurants. You could grab a samosa, slice of chocolate cheesecake, and pierogi, even in that order if you wanted to. Now, the Taste of Hartford is a week-long Prix Fixe menu at over thirty restaurants. This remains a good chance to sample food from restaurants you may have considered too pricey, but really, the experience of a mad dash through adventurous culinary combinations is gone.
Unless you’re a vegetarian, which means that the adventure is merely finding a place that meets your needs. Here are the restaurants with their respective veggie options as advertised especial for the Taste of Hartford. This does not mean that other participating restaurants are completely devoid of meat-free foods, just that they are not offering them at a special price. But vegetarians know that usually, our foodstuffs are cheaper than $20.09 anyway, so it’s not like we’re getting a major meal discount.
Salad ~ Select One
Tomato and Mozzarella ~ vine ripe tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, Bermuda onions, fresh basil, olive oil and red wine vinegar
Carbone’s Garden~ crisp greens and garnishes served with a balsamic vinaigrette dressingEntrée ~
Eggplant Parmigiana ~ Layers of eggplant, ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese baked with house made marinara sauceDessert Selection ~ Select One
Carbone’s Italian Sundae ~ Creamy ricotta accented with orange zest with fresh berries; topped with almond twille cookie
Wild Berry Gelato ~ Assorted mixed berry gelato garnished with whipped cream
Choice of Appetizer
Warm Spinach Dip: crisp flour tortillas • aged pecorino • fontina
Organic Field Greens: blue cheese • cherry tomatoes • sherry vinaigretteEntree:
Tomato Pie: heirloom tomatoes • basil pesto • housemade ricotta • pastry crustChoice of Dessert
Strawberry Shortcake: Belltown Hill orchard strawberries • sweet cream
DISH Chocolate Cream Pie: graham soil • whipped cream • cocoa nibs
First Plate: Choose one
Francesco’s Salad: Mixed greens, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, capers, olives, red onions and marinated artichokes tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oilMozzarella Caprese: Hand rolled buffalo mozzarella, served with freshly sliced tomatoes and roasted peppers, capers, red onions, drizzled with pesto dressing
Sicilian Salad: Tomatoes, vidalia onions, kalamata olives, cucumbers, fresh green peppers, tossed in a homemade virgin olive oil dressing tossed with fresh basil
Second Plate: Choose one
Penne D’Angelo: Penne pasta cooked with fresh spinach, mushrooms and sausage in a vodka marinara cream sauceEggplant Parmesan: Seasoned fresh eggplant batter dipped and breaded layered with mozzarella and topped with marinara and parmesan cheese.
Finale: Canoli, Cheesecake, Crème Brule or Gelato of the Day
Course 1:
Four Cheese Garlic BreadCourse 2:
Simple Greens
Organic mesclun, balsamic vinaigretteCourse 3:
Fresca: Light sauce of fresh tomato, garlic, basil, fresh mozzarella, with rigatoni
Mayor Mikes
Choice of:
Cup of Soup, House Salad, or Caesar saladEntree:
Penne VodkaChoice of:
Apple Crisp, Fuzzy Navel Cake or Cheesecake
Peppercorns
Appetizers (Choice of)
Insalata Mista ~ tossed greens with carrots, red peppers, radicchio, and tomato with balsamic vinaigrette
Fiori di Zucchini ~ crispy beer battered zucchini blossoms stuffed with a peppered mozzarella
Bruschetta ~ with garlic, fresh plum tomatoes, mozzarella and extra virgin olive oilEntrée
Ravioli all ‘Arancia ~ housemade ravioli filled with ricotta, spinach, and orange rind in a sauce of fresh orange, sage, butter and parmigiano reggianoDue to nature of promotion no substitutions
Extra charge of $3.00 for asparagus, haricots verts, and broccoliniDessert (Choice of)
Tiramisu ~ with crème chantilly
Gelato
Sorbetto
Your choice of one each of an Appetizer, Entrée, and Dessert, listed below. Does not include coffee/tea. No
substitutions.Aperitivos – Appetizers
Salada à Portuguesa: Iceberg Lettuce, Carrot Strings, Ripe Tomatoes, Marinated Olives, and Cucumber House Vinaigrette
Salada a Casa: Salad Greens, Marinated Olives, Ripe Tomatoes, and Cucumbers with an Herb Vinaigrette
Sopa de Vegetais: Carrot, Pumpkin Puree with Julienne Carrots and Collard GreensEntrée
Paelha Vegetariana – (For One): With Seasonal VegetablesSobremesa – Dessert
Arroz Doce: Rice pudding
Mousse de Chocolate: Chocolate mousse
Pudim flan: Chef De Sousa’s Family Recipe for Traditional Portuguese Egg custard with
caramel sauce
As always, inquire about what foods are cooked in if you are vegan or not okay with anything simmered in animal lard.
richard
Thanks Kerri. But after reading the offerings I vote to stay home.
Julie Beman
Would it be worth a couple of phone calls to restaurants you’d like to try to see if they would sub in vegetarian options?
kerri provost
Hmm….
Good thinking!
I have a few dozen vegetarian (mostly vegan) cookbooks, and let me tell you, there are some wicked gourmet recipes. I refuse to believe that fancy places can’t figure out how to feed us lovely, filling dishes. Salad is not sufficient as a vegetarian option. I’m not on a diet!