Secco's Brand New Menu: Here's What You're In For

Squid ink bucatini with baby shrimp, red chili pepper,  pistachio and shrimp head sauce

Full Disclaimer: My husband Tim and I are regulars at Secco Wine Bar, and I've been pals with owner Julia Battaglini since we were English majors way back when at VCU, so when she asked me to help spread the word on Secco's new menu as well as their chalkboard-only wine and beer menu (a.k.a Hayyy Chardonnay!) I didn't hesitate because a.) that's what friends are for, and b.) I love my hometown of RVA. So here goes a little unfettered promotion all in the name of showcasing the awesomeness that is Richmond, Virginia's ever-changing restaurant scene.

To start.

That wildly colorful dish posted above is a house-made squid ink pasta with baby shrimp, red chili's and pistachio, and it is just one of the many new dishes featured on Secco Wine Bar's brand spanking new menu. It's no shocker that Executive Chef Tim Bereika has mastered the art of making fresh pasta, but Secco's new menu also boasts many familiar items like those addictive fried chickpeas with aleppo pepper, fried Castelvetrano olives and a house-made charcuterie board along with some reasonably priced larger plates like whole fried branzino with roasted potatoes and salsa verde as well as an herb crusted sirloin steak with arugula salad, pecorino toscano and lemon oil (all of the meats come from Virginia native Dave Matthews' grass-fed beef farm, Best of What's Around FYI). Secco continues to offer their 5-course chefs tasting menu (available Sunday-Wednesday) which is a steal for $28 bucks. Throw in a stellar rotating wine and beer (and sherry) list and there's no reason you shouldn't eat here at least once.

To help usher you folks in the door with even more gusto, I've created a little photo essay of some of the dishes I've sampled at Secco over the years. Note: many of these dishes remain on the new menu in some seasonal incarnation since Chef Bereika often culls locally from regional farms and producers. All of these pics were taken with my iPhone 4 which can rock some food photos.

Fresh burrata cheese with heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs.

Foie pot de creme with kirschwasser jelly.

Ricotta and Tuscan kale filled pasta with toasted almonds, citrus butter and fennel pollen.

Panna cotta with orange zest, smoked walnuts and bourbon soaked raisins.

House made pumpkin ravioli with amaretti cookies and sage.

Had enough yet? Just go there people. For real.

All photos and text ©2013 Fatback and Foie Gras. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Crabcakes, Grilled Pizza, Tacos and Rick Bayless

So once again, I'm the jerk-off for neglecting my blog, and there is a legitimate reason beyond laziness (which is the usual culprit) that I shall disclose soon, but in the meantime let me openly apologize to all five of you that read my blog for such an undue absence. In addition to a rather large (and exciting) project I am working on, I have also developed quite the addiction to Instagram (find me under Kendra Bailey Morris) a.k.a. the app that makes even crappy photogs like me look like we know what the hell we're doing, so I thought I'd take a moment to share some tasty highlights from this month's cooking extravaganza. Blogger Disclaimer: recipes shall follow, yet I recommend holding your horses because it won't be anytime soon.

Let's begin with the above image: pan-fried crab cakes over sweet corn relish and fresh arugula topped with Crab Louis sauce (basically a combo of mayo, chili sauce, horseradish etc...etc....) For the record it was quite good, so good in fact that I demolished the whole plate in roughly three bites = off-the-cuff cooking =  success. Happy.

More salad jank because it's too dang hot to cook. This time, mixed arugula and fresh kale (I love, love raw kale), topped with roasted beets (I love, love roasted beets), toasted walnuts and goat cheese (I lov...ok, who doesn't love goat frickin' cheese).

Warning: annoyingly cute dog photo above. Did I mention it's awfully hot here in Virginia? Our poor hyper-haired Aussie dog can't find a cool spot anywhere anymore, but he did discover the ceramic floor behind the cold, ceramic toilet. Reminds me of the time I tried Goldschlager for the first time in college. For the record, the gold in the bottle looks exactly the same after you barf it back up.

Had the family here for a week, and one evening it was grilled pizzas. My dear husband is the master of dough on the grill, so we got ourselves a mini vat of Pizza Tonight marinara, which I totally adore (both the sauce and the cool chicks who run this local RVA business), some fresh mozzarella and Parmesan, along with a few plucked basil leaves from the garden and we had ourselves a full-on pizza party. Note to all you newlyweds: it's these kinds of communal food gatherings that will garner you mega extended fam points, so I recommend hosting them often and with abandon.

We do taco night at least once a week. Over the years, I've developed some sort of pathological addiction to tacos. Some days I can't stop thinking about them. Corn tortillas have become my other man, my dirty Mexican secret, and when they're filled with grilled carne asada, sliced avocado, pico de gallo and queso fresco, I actually have fantasies involving me, Rick Bayless and a molcajete. Don't even get me started on the accompanying tostones (twice fried plantains) dipped in guacamole. It's totally Fifty Shades of Grey but with sea salt and lime.

Ok, so I totally did not make this, but Tim Bereika from Secco Wine Bar did, and it is to die for. I've boasted before how I think Chef Bereika is one of the best in Richmond, and in addition to a whole host of other amazing goodies he whips up in Secco's cozy kitchen like "Fiddlehead Ferns, Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Soft Egg, Watercress, Saba Emulsion, Fennel Pollen", he also created this creamy, tangy explosion consisting of fresh Burrata cheese with Sun Gold tomatoes and fresh herbs. Simple. Elegant. Understated. Perfection.

Been playing around with my crock pot lately and recently tried my hand at creating a Virginia blue crab and summer corn chowder topped with the same corn relish I used with the crab cakes (waste not want not). Not only is this dish lovely to look at (thank you, Instagram...mwah!) but it's delicately flavored and perfect for an evening on the patio, crock pot or not. Keep an eye out for the recipe, FYI. Coming soon.

Let me close this little food foray with a chili dog. Why? Because I love chili dogs, almost as much as I love the idea of getting hammered on Corazon de Agave Tequila Anejo with Rick Bayless. There's something so satisfying when you feel the snap of biting into a perfectly cooked hotdog. It's a pressed meat kinda thing, and I totally dig it, especially when the dog is topped with even more meat, in this case, chili sauce made without beans (yuck) or any tomato product whatsoever (different). Just the beef, ma'am. Oh, and some minced onions and chartreuse-colored mustard.

So, thanks for stopping by. I promise to do my best not to disappear entirely this summer as I imbed myself into this project, and yes, for now, the first rule of Fight Club will have to apply as to what the heck I'm doing.

Happy cooking and stay cool.

Kendra

©2012 Fatback and Foie Gras. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Pretty in Pink: Secco's first-ever Rosé crawl

I believe it was Secco Wine Bar's Master of Ceremonies, Matt Brehony, who said it best, "Rosé is not 'grandma wine,' nor is it sickly sweet, nor will it cause a man to menstruate", so put aside any memories of that jug 'o wine swill your aunt used to drink. The rosé I'm talking about can be delicate and light with just a hint of sweetness, darker and bolder with more of a deep pink hue, effervescent and dry or anywhere in between. This is the wine that will cool you to the core on a hot day while elegantly elevating a simple bowl of vegetable soup or a piece of crostini topped with a dollop of tart 'n soft goat cheese, or as witnessed by last night's festivities, get the summer party started come hell or high water (literally).

Oh, it rained, and rained and rained. View from Secco

As an honest-to-goodness rosé junkie, I was all over the idea of a point to point Richmond wine crawl from the get-go. First off, I love how Julia Battaglini et. al. are thinking out of the box when it comes to events like these, and judging from the crowds at each our stops, I figure the popularity of future wine crawls will only increase. Even better, concentrating an entire evening on a single wine is a great way for folks like myself to really delve into one specific style of wine making. Who knew that rosés are made by leaving the grape skins intact for just a few days versus the usual two weeks or that, while France is still the leading producer of rosé (think Loire Valley, Languedoc or Bergerac regions), Spain, Italy and the U.S. are making some pretty darned good juice?

Our first stop was Amici Ristorante where generous glasses of a lovely Mottura Negroamaro Salento from the Puglia region of Italy were poured to get the evening started. Slightly dry with hints of fruit (cherry and strawberries?) it was an excellent aperitif.

Line 'em up. The gang at Amici

Next stop was Amour Wine Bistro where a handful of rosés were offered up with a few snack options for purchase. There, we opted for the Atmosphere Vin de Pays du Var (Provence) which was a super light, refreshing, crisp and fruity.

My husband, Tim, definitely enjoyed it

Next up was to be a stop at Can Can to sample a 2010 Domaine de Mirail, Cote de Gascone, but we unfortunately couldn't get in the door because it was so packed, so off to Secco we went and not a moment too soon since this happened....

Then, this happened...

Power is out at Secco, but the party is just getting started

We literally arrived at Secco a hair's breadth ahead of one heck of a thunderstorm complete with cloud to ground lightening and flooding in Carytown, but never fear, there was plenty of wine to be had by candlelight. We started with a glass of Cote de Provence Manon which was super light and lovely with just a hint of peachiness followed by a glass of Il Baladin, a Italian beer from the Piemonte region of Italy (on tap).

Tim and photographer extraordinaire Steven Salpukas w/ glasses in hand

The scene at Secco was raucous and lively, clearly demonstrating that any lack of air conditioning, snacks or even a shortage of wine glasses would not dampen this evening. It was a fantastic time, and a terrific way to support Richmond's local restaurants while getting a serious wine primer firsthand. Keep an eye out for the next one. Pin It Now!