Tuscan Kitchen | Grand Opening

At the Grand Opening of Tuscan Kitchen and Market the owner, Joe Faro, makes it a point to individually greet the large number of guests as they mingle before dinner. Faro grew up in a traditional Italian household and made his foray into the business at a young age selling his own homemade pasta. The deeply rooted traditions continue at his second location to open in Burlington, MA (the original resides in Salem, NH). In the kitchen, the bread is made from scratch and baked in a stone hearth. The meats and fish are roasted on a wood grill, pizzas are fired in a wood oven and yes, the pastas are still hand rolled. Meanwhile, the market sells delectable Italian goods such as premium olive oils and unique balsamic vinegars with an adjoining café counter offering pastries, gelato and specialty coffee drinks. They are doing a lot in a massive space - in a location adjacent to uniform office parks. The results so far are well-received, and the grand opening party a delicious success.  

Upon arrival we are greeted with glasses of prosecco and Parmigiana Reggiano, sliced fresh from a giant wheel and drizzled in balsamic. As we made our way into the bar and lounge area, antipasti were passed, martinis were poured, and a gorgeous plated appetizer station beckoned. There was everything from homemade burrata, affettati misti: porchetta and prosciutto, fig jam, local truffle honey, roasted vegetables and artesian stone hearth breads. I sipped a refreshing cocktail called The Tuscan made with Stoli, muddled basil, lime juice and sugar.

After everyone was seated for dinner we started with a duo of pastas; Cannelloni di Vitello - thin sheets of rosemary pasta stuffed with slow braised veal breast, spinach and Tuscan bean mista and Truffle Mascarpone Gnocchi with wood roasted mushrooms, fava beans and shaved pecorino tartufo. These pasta creations elicited high praise all around; the Cannelloni was my favorite dish of the evening - and I never like veal!  The secondi course offered our choice of Pan Roasted Cod with an herb leek butter crust and rock shrimp in a sweet pea saffron risotto or the Filetto di Manzo - 10 oz aged wood grilled filet with caramelized garlic, tuffle parmesan fingerlings and a brussels sprout and pancetta slaw. Were these ever some gorgeous, well executed entrees!

Guests were sent off to the market's Caffe Toscano for farewell coffee, pastry and gelato. I got an espresso and a scoop of vanilla with a scoop of tiramisu, a sweet ending to a wonderful evening. Welcome to Burlington, Tuscan Kitchen!

Tuscan Kitchen

 24 New England Executive Park

Burlington, MA 01803