Rome Inspired M'tucci's Bar Roma
/As the opening day for M’tucci’s Bar Roma grows near, let’s revisit how Rome influenced our inspiration for creating a bit of Rome in Albuquerque.
Last September, Company President John Haas, Beverage Director Austin Leard, Company Chef Shawn Cronin and M’tucci’s Bar Roma General Manager Amanda Romero hit the ground running after the 10 hour flight from Dallas to Rome. Lots of meals, beverages, wild scooter rides, and fun were packed into five long days of cafes, street food stops, speakeasies, trattorias, gelato shops, a pasta making class and fine dining restaurants.
On the first day we discovered suppli at a small place called Mami, near Piazza Navona. Similar to the Sicilian snack called arancini, they are a little different and will be on the menu at M’tucci’s Bar Roma as Cacio e Pepe Arancini, creamy risotto that is lightly breaded, fried and topped with Cacio di Roma cheese, cracked pepper and olive oil. Earlier this month, guests at our five-course pairing dinner with La Cumbre Brewing sampled them and loved them.
Chef Damien Lucero, who will head the kitchen staff, was on the Tuscany trip in 2019 and spent hours talking with Shawn after the Rome visit. You will notice a few more Roman-influenced dishes on the menu when it’s released. Two of the dishes served at the La Cumbre dinner were influenced by our trip to Tuscany, but were created primarily because of Chef Damien’s love of pork.
The Amaro-Glazed Sackett Farms Ribs with Italian Olives and Roasted Bell Pepper was one of the most popular dishes at the LCB dinner. An Amaro (a bittersweet Italian liqueur) reduction with star anise and allspice sautéd with Italian olives, red bell and garlic is the glaze for the tender ribs.
Another Italian favorite using Sackett Farms pork is a Porchetta. This traditional Italian street food is found in stalls at markets, where a whole-pig is boned and slow-roasted with herb-spiced paste. Then it’s sliced and served in butcher paper or as a sandwich. Here is how Chef Damien will prepare it at M’tucci’s Bar Roma:
Don’t miss next week’s La Gazzetta when Chef Shawn and Damien talk about how they created the menu at M’tucci’s Bar Roma, which will open on May 4th. The menu will be posted on our website and on our Facebook page within the next week.
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Ravioli - Pickled Fennel & Ricotta Filling, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, House Capicolla, Sun Dried Tomatoe, Turnip Greens, Spring Onion, Pesto Cream Sauce $29
24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $37
Pan-Seared Barramundi: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $29
Braise - Sackett Farms Red Wine & Porcini Braised Pork Shank, Creamy Mushroom/Spinach Risotto, Red Wine Braising Sauce $27
Weekend Cocktail
Up All Night: Slow & Low Coffee Old Fashioned Whiskey, Campari, Kahlúa, Chocolate bitters, Lemon Twist
M’tucci’s Moderno
14 oz. Hand Cut NY Strip- Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, & Grilled Asparagus $31
Pan-Seared Rockfish - Roasted Artichoke, Sautéed Organic Arugula, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, & Smoked Prosciutto Powder $27
Beef Tip Tortelloni - Beef Tips, Cajun Seasoning, Grape Tomatoes, Green Onions, Gorgonzola, Rosa Sauce $21
Weekend Cocktail
Tesorosso: M’tucci’s El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Tonic Bitters, M’tucci’s Red Wine Float
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Sackett Farms Milk-Braised Pork Shank - Mascarpone Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Spinach, Gigante Beans and Carrot Brodo $28
8 oz. Top Sirloin (Picanha) - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $28
Pan-Seared Mexican Fluke - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $29
Weekend Cocktail
Bruja- ha - M’tucci’s El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, Strega, Pilla Select, Fresh Lime Juice
Live Music for April & May at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno
Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:00
M’tucci’s Italian has soft cello or violin dinner music every Thursday night beginning at 6:00.
MODERNO
4/22 Kirk Matthews
4/28 Austin Van
4/29 Cali Shaw
5/5 Eryn Bent
5/6 Nathan Fox
5/12 Sloan Armitage
5/13 Lani Nash
5/19 Alex Maryol
5/20 RJ Perez
5/26 Oscar Butler
5/27 Kirk Matthews
TWENTY-FIVE
4/28 Oscar Butler
5/5 Kirk Matthews
5/12 Amy Faithe
5/19 Austin Van
5/26 Alex Maryol
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
