M'tucci's 2021 in Review, Pt. 2
/As the weather warmed up, restaurants were allowed to open up and operate at full capacity. More than anything, this allowed us to see old friends and to create the great food and drinks that are part of our DNA. Needless to say, the lack of operating restrictions brightened everyone’s mood.
JULY - The BARS were open!! Our guests could, once again, sit at the bar and chat with their friends and the bartenders. As travel restrictions were lowered, more people were talking about traveling after a long period of being at home. La Gazzeta suggested a few places to visit in Italy.
M’tucci’s Italian added a new dish for two prepared at the table, Pasta dalla Forma, a pasta dish that is finished in a wheel of imported Italian cheese. Several added toppings have made the dish a nightly favorite. We celebrated our 8th Anniversary with a Prix Fixe dinner at all locations featuring Sackett Farms pork and M’tucci’s Private Label wines. A special Shrub cocktail was created with commemorative glasses. Hope you got one or two!
AUGUST - Company President Joh Haas and Partner/Beverage Director Austin Leard traveled to Amador County in California to visit the winery that is producing the next vintage of M”tucci’s Private Label Wines. While there, they had the difficult, but enviable, task of creating the new Rosso. They created an amazing blend using Barbera, Cabernet, Primitivo & Syrah.
The Wednesday night Prix Fixe returned to M’tucci’s Italian and is once again a regular event. The Prix Fixe pairs 3 wines with 3 courses for only $25 per person. It is usually announced on social media around 1:00 on Wednesday.
Planning and research continued for the September trip to Rome to gather information and inspiration for M’tucci’s Bar Roma.
SEPTEMBER - In the first part of the month, M’tucci’s began appearing on New Mexico Living every other Monday morning on KRQE. On our first appearance Chef/Partner Cory Gray showed how he makes Pasta dalla Forma (only available at M’tucci’s Italian).
We catered two large events for our founders’ daughter’s wedding. The rehearsal dinner filled the entire space at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five (and you can book it, too!) and was followed by a lovely garden wedding and dinner under a large tent. The staff at Twenty-Five and Taña, M’tucci’s Catering Manager, created two magical evenings.
Five of us: John Haas, Austin Leard, Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin, Manager/Partner Amanda Romero and I arrived in Rome the day after the wedding weekend and hit the ground running, eating at 12 different restaurants, visiting (OK - drinking at) eight different bars and taking one pasta class - in five days! In addition to all of the restaurant and bar research we still managed to take in the Vatican and Coliseum and not get killed during one of our many trips through the city on stand-up scooters.
OCTOBER - The new Amador County wines that John and Austin selected arrived this month. In addition to the aforementioned Rosso, we also received a single varietal Montepulciano. We hosted a fundraiser at M’tucci’s Moderno for Alta Mira New Mexico during the International Balloon Fiesta. Executive Pastry Chef Brianna Dennis revamped one of M’tucci’s signature desserts, Twinkie d’ Italia and created a new dessert for M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, Lemon Chantilly Cake topped with Almond Brittle Dust and Fresh Blackberries.
NOVEMBER - M’tucci’s Twenty-Five introduced a new Brunch menu, served every weekend from 11:00 - 3:00. I love the substitution of a crispy eggplant slice for the traditional English Muffin on the Eggs Benedict Cotto and you’ve never had great Shrimp and Grits until you have had it made with Italian Polenta.
The M’tucci’s Sparkling Wine arrived, made in collaboration with New Mexico’s award-winning Gruet Winery. That brings the selection of M’tucci’s wines to five: Bianco, Rosso, Montepulciano, Dolcetto and Sparkling. We offer great deals at each location when the a bottle is only $16. Half price nights are: Monday at Twenty-Five, Tuesday at Italian and Wednesday at Moderno. You can also get a glass at reduced prices during Happy Hour.
EPC Brianna does it again with her trio of fantastic pies for Thanksgiving. If you missed out - you really missed out and you’ll just have to wait until next year!
DECEMBER - It was a busy month with tons of holiday parties, dinners and catering. Our annual Give & Receive Gift Cards were available all month. We did a pop-up market with local young vendors on the patio at the future M’tucci’s Bar Roma on Central in Nob Hills during their Shop & Stroll Saturday. The vendors got a free space to sell their crafts, RJ Perez performed live music, Austin and Minister of Culture Howie Kaibel handed out Hot Chocolate Bombs, and we donated 10% of all Gift Card Sales to benefit the Sophia Foundation, a NM foundation that supports families with children on the Autism spectrum.
Continuing our commitment to hiring the best people and giving them the tools to excel, Amanda Romero was made a M’tucci’s Partner. She started working with us as a bar back more than six years ago and rose to the position of manager, first at M’tucci’s Italian, eventually becoming the General Manager at M’tucci’s Moderno.
Renovations began on the interior of the new Bar Roma location, but the first step was to finish work on the building across the alley that were the original mechanic’s bays at the 1930s Ford dealership. That space is now the home to M’tucci’s Provisions, which provides fresh-baked all-natural bread, fresh pasta and mozzarella to our restaurants. We tripled the space, making for a more productive and happier work environment for our team.
One of the under-utilized rooms at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five was converted from a storage space to an effective work area for Executive Pastry Chef Brianna and her assistant. Working in the room affectionally dubbed the Pastry Palace, they are responsible for creating all of the desserts and gelatos for the restaurants.
We became supporters of NPR’s Morning Edition on KUNM.
Quite a year. Thanks for being part of it and thanks for reading La Gazzeta.
M’tucci’s New Speakeasy
There was a lot of news published this week about the Speakeasy that will open at M’tucci’s Bar Roma in the Spring. The interior design and feel will be inspired by the bars that we visited in Rome. The space will be limited to 35 guests and will have “old world charm”.
Details about membership will announced soon.
Below are a few of the places we visited in Rome, which will give you an idea of our plans.
https://abq.news/2022/01/mtuccis-restaurants-adds-speakeasy-in-nob-hill/
https://nmliving.com/2022/01/03/mtuccis-has-a-new-location-in-nob-hill/
https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2022/01/03/mtuccis-restaurants-to-open-speakeasy.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=ae&utm_content=aq&ana=e_aq_ae&j=26245071&senddate=2022-01-03
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Ravioli: House Made Ravioli filled with Prosciutto & Ricotta topped with Chicken, Portobello Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Asparagus & Capers in a Vodka Sauce topped with Shaved Parmesan and Micro Greens $25
16 oz. Hand Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $34
Pan-Seared Barramundi: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke Hearts, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $31
Milk Braised Wild Boar & Cockle Clams with House Spaghettini tossed with a Lemon Cream Sauce $27
Weekend Cocktail
M’tucci’s Gateway Spritz: Amaro Nonino, M’tucci’s SparklingWine, Crisp Soda Water, Lemon Twist
M’tucci’s Moderno
24 oz Hand-Cut Bone-In Porterhouse: Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $38
Pan-Seared Sea Scallops: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Organic Baby Arugula, Roasted Artichoke, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $31
House Made Lobster Ravioli: Cold Water Lobster & Crab, Wild Pink Shrimp, Bay Scallops, Grape Tomatoes, Lobster Cream Sauce $31
Weekend Cocktail
Aperol Sour: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Aperol, Simple Syrup, Fresh Lime, Egg White
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Balsamic Marinated Chicken Breast, Root Vegetable Hash, Balsamic Reduction $21
16 oz Veal Porterhouse: Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Brocollini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $34
Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $21
Weekend Cocktail
M’tucci’s Gin Fizzy: Kiwi Dragonfruit Infused Aviation Gin, 03 Orange Liqueur, Fresh Lemon Juice, Egg White and Club Soda
Live Music for January M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno
Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:30
January
1/7
Lani Nash @ Moderno
1/13
Kirk Matthews @ 25
Sloan Armitage @ Moderno
1/14
Eryn Bent @ Moderno
1/20
Amy Faithe @ 25
RJ Perez @ Moderno
1/21
Kirk Matthews @ Moderno
1/27
Lani Nash @ 25
Melissa Rios @ Moderno
1/28
Jason Seel @ Moderno
That’s all for 2021 Folks. Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
