Foodie Anniversary

I love weddings. Even better, weddings with good food. Our wedding had a huge spread of yummy treats, and so in tribute every year, we spend our anniversary indulging in foodie heaven.

Actually, the last two years we have been to the same place. Campagnola in Evanston is in the same circle of restaurants as Bistro Campagne in Lincoln square, and Union also in Evanston. We really enjoy their compressed menu, especially since they do not focus on pastas, like so many Italian joints here in the states. With an impressive list of antipasti including grilled radicchio, and various cold salads, along with a large secondi selection, this small darkened restaurant creates an authentic feel that is quite romantic. We were lucky to still get thier winter menu before it changed at the end of the week.

We started the evening with a glass of prosecco, and two antipasti. First we ordered the beef carpaccio - done almost the same way I had it in Lucca - with capers, arugula with a lite lemon and olive oil toss, and parmesian. Our second was a must-get whenever we eat here. They have an especially good fire roasted octopus. It is slightly different each time we come, due to the menu cycles. This time the chef paired it with green beans and re onions and a little olive coulis, with lemon zest shavings being the real light of the dish.

Whenever we dine here there is another dish that the husband insists that we have. They do a particularly good ragu with parpedelle, and if you ask, the server will kindly have the kitchen split an order for you into two bowls.

For the main dish, the husband had a very tender beef short rib, with polenta and rapini, which he said were a little too spicy and difficult to eat, but were good. I had the breast of pheasant, wrapped in bacon, drizzled with a little herbed oil, served on a bed of Israeli couscous tossed with English peas and pork belly cubes.

We finished with a little dolci, he with blackberry sorbet, and I with a walnut cake cooked in a creme fresh custard.

I think it was slightly overindulgent, but who's counting! Remembering one's wedding should always be cause for celebration.