By Rachel Hergett EBS COLUMNIST
A line of poetry keeps going through my head. It’s Walt Whitman, from “Song of Myself.”
“I am large. I contain multitudes,” Whitman writes as an aside in this section of “Leaves of Grass,” first published in 1855.
Though Whitman—at nearly six feet tall—was statuesque for a man in mid 19th century America, he was not speaking to the physical. To be large here is to embrace the complexities of humanity and vastness of our experience
So what has me thinking about Whitman today? It’s an appetizer, or rather an amuse-bouche—a single-bite served by chefs before a meal to wake up the palate. Its apt name means “amuse the mouth” in French.
This amuse-bouche was the most precious crostini, only about a centimeter square, topped with a cheese sauce and a tiny onion that was roasted until bursting with sweetness. It was miniscule and unassuming, mostly brown with only a couple micro greens on top to break up the monotone. And yet, in the mouth it was large. The flavors exploded, lingered, melded and contrasted.
This amuse-bouche was very much an indicator of what was to come at my first meal at Tutti Bene in downtown Bozeman. The eatery touts itself as “refined Italian” and opened in the Baltimore Building at 224 E. Main St. in September. Under the guidance of executive chef and general manager Cesare Lanfranconi, it has become Bozeman’s hottest new restaurant. If you would like a reservation, start looking at your calendar for January or February.
For my date, I chose Kathy, my second mother and former cooking club partner, who loves food as much as I do and is willing to try most anything. We mainly had trouble whittling down the options, ultimately deciding that we would happily eat any dish from the menu if our stomachs were large enough to hold it. Tutti Bene’s menu feels extensive, with two pages featuring sections of “Carpaccio & Crudo,” “Antipasto,” and “Zuppa, Pasta & Risotto” before you even make it to the main dishes and steaks. I overheard our waitress describe the ravioli to the table to my right, clocking how her eyes lit up and she gushed over the dish, and added it to our planned order.
We chose the bison carpaccio to start. The meat was sliced so thin it was almost overpowered by its bed of dressed arugula. Almost. By the end, having discovered some thicker slices, I was marveling in the flavor meld between the marbled meat, mustard aioli, and wispy grated cheese melting in my mouth.
Next came the grilled octopus. For Americans, Kathy and I are both fairly well traveled. She was wary of ordering the dish, having spent much of the summer on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. How could this octopus possibly compare to those served oceanside. For me, it has been years since I have had grilled octopus done well.
This octopus was done well. Somehow Chef Cesare’s team pulled off perfection, and the best octopus either of us have eaten. The cookery alone is worthy of mention, with not a hint of chewiness throughout. Instead, the crispy grilled exterior gave way to the most tender octopus I’ve ever experienced. It was a bit of a marvel, actually, and beautifully paired with a warm potato salad with olives, grilled lemon and Calabrian chilis.
Next up were the pasta-type dishes, which were offered in small and large portions, and allowed us to try a trio that included the lobster risotto, pumpkin gnocchi and that roasted guinea hen ravioli that had the waitress aflutter.
Unexpectedly, the lobster risotto let us down. The menu touted Maine lobster, aged Carnaroli rice and a Parmigiano cheese aged for two years. The lobster was tender, the rice had that classic Italian al dente bite, but the dish still did not come together well. The lobster flavor was rich to the point of overpowering and it didn’t have the layers of flavors apparent in every other dish. It was the only plate we didn’t lick clean.
While most of my readers know my aversion to eating steak in restaurants, I did appreciate the explanation of the cookery and use of local producers. Then I ordered the veal Marsala, in part to try some mushrooms from those the restaurant grows on site. I suggest asking for wine pairings with each dish, as there seems to be a master sommelier at work. We tried the Costamolino Vermentino with the octopus and the No Name Nebbiolo with the veal, and with each I was surprised and delighted at how well the flavors of the wine brought out the food and vice versa.
Finally, and seemingly full, we come to dessert. Though there is a little surprise here too—a pair of small shortbread cookies—I can’t help but order the tiramisu. It was, as advertised, an entirely classic rendition. Then, the table to my left, which happened to include a friend and master mixologist from a restaurant down the street, ordered the zeppole. I found room to try one when it was offered, and was not disappointed.
Then, their waitress began bringing a variety of house-made gelatos. And I, being very unshy, asked for a spoon. We tried the coffee flavor, which felt like a frappe. Then came lemon, which packed a bite of tartness and would have made an excellent palate cleanser between courses. And finally, a blackberry that had everyone gushing. This gelato tasted like a jam, with an intense berry flavor that made it unanimously the standout dessert.
That dish brings back thoughts of Whitman. It was a single scoop of blackberry gelato in a dish. And yet, it was large.
Rachel Hergett is a foodie and cook from Montana. She is arts editor emeritus at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and has written for publications such as Food Network Magazine and Montana Quarterly. Rachel is also the host of the Magic Monday Show on KGLT-FM and teaches at Montana State University.
