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.

Pin It Now!

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!