Sunday dinner at Osteria Danny

After what feels like years, I finally got to Saratoga’s beloved Osteria Danny. I had dined once before in the physical space where Danny is located, many years ago, when it was a northern outpost of my Albany fav, Cafe Capriccio, but hadn’t been able to find my way back until last weekend when circumstances brought mi amor and I to Saratoga to visit friends. The late afternoon timing, and my continued observance of dry January, conspired to provide an ideal opportunity to burn through a much appreciated gift certificate received as a birthday present last year.

Our reservation was for 5:00, frightfully early for some, but exactly when I want to eat on a Sunday as a full week looms on the horizon. What can I say? Little in life makes me happier than having dinner, a hot bath and being in bed by 9:00.

We arrived right on time, and were immediately greeted and seated. Our table wasn’t my favorite, a small deuce a bit too close to the door on a cold night, but we ultimately were comfortable enough. Our server approached and gave us the lay of the land in terms of additions to the menu, and took a drink order.

This was the moment when I felt a pang of regret about the whole dry January thing. A glass of wine would have been a nice accompaniment to what promised to be a delicious dinner. Oh well. There’s something to be said for complete sobriety and the anticipated drive down the Northway. 

As we perused the menu, we nibbled on simply seasoned white beans and warm bread. A really nice opener, which I enjoyed, but I have to admit I wished the beans weren’t served cold. I think the flavors would have been even more distinctive had the beans been room temperature.

Out meal was beautifully paced from start to finish. We opened with a wonderful plate of Brussels sprouts with pancetta and a balsamic glaze. On the side of the plate was a mound of whipped ricotta which added the perfect touch of creaminess to the firm veggies, salty ham and tangy vinegar. It was a really dynamite start.

Our next plate was a really interestingly composed grilled octopus dish served with a salad of potato chunks and green olives with a tomato jam. I liked it, but the octopus was a tad overcooked, not enough to make it chewy necessarily, it just wasn’t as tender as it could have been.

The pasta course, however, knocked it out of the park. It was an evening entree feature of bucatini alla Amatriciana, which we shared as our mid course. The kitchen had graciously divided the portion into two shallow bowls and I absolutely devoured mine. The peppery bite was tingly on my tongue and the thick, hollow noodles were firm between my teeth. This dish made me really happy, even with the recognition that eating anything more would be a total indulgence. I was already feeling kind of full.

Because we’re eaters, and we wanted to try as many different dishes as possible, we carried on. I had perfectly cooked and gorgeous sea scallops. They were joined on the plate by a lobster risotto and sautéed squash, making for a complete entree. Like I mentioned, the scallops were lovely. My only minor complaint was a bit of char on their exterior which wasn’t so much a searing as it was perhaps, the remnants of the grill on which they had been cooked. Still, a really nice dish – and the fish was undoubtedly very high quality.

My good eater guy had the short ribs, a cut of beef we both find difficult to resist. Served with creamy mashed potatoes topped with frizzled onions and green beans (haricots vert?) it was the perfect winter supper.

Now, completely full, we knew there was no prayer for having dessert – at least not immediately. The drive home, however, would provide an opportunity to digest our indulgent meal and I knew we would regret not finishing the evening with something sweet. We both share a wicked fondness for dessert, so a piece of Danny’s renowned coconut cream, with caramel sauce, was packaged up for us to enjoy on the couch. It was a delightful finish to what was a really wonderful meal.

Lastly, any restaurant that features a poster promoting the reading of banned books, is one to which I’ll surely return. Nice job, Osteria Danny. Already looking forward to getting back there to try other menu items – with wine next time!