DISH MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
of Italian balsamic glaze and a sprinkle of
chopped walnuts and a few sprigs of aru-
gula, which gave a crisp and fresh scent
to the dish.
With each bite of the bruschetta
I found myself thinking, “How did he
create something that tastes so light, yet
so full of flavor?” But then I remembered
I’m a writer and not a chef; therefore, the
question was readily answered.
Then it was time for the main dish.
For those who appreciate the art of
presentation, Chef Bianca will likely
impress.
Pan-seared filet of Atlantic salmon
was delivered on a bed of crab potato
salad surrounded by campari tomatoes.
It looked almost too beautiful to cut into,
but I fought my instincts and dove in.
The salmon was cooked just right – not
too much, not too little, and it had a melt
in your mouth sensation, which made
the heartiness of the crab and potato
salad quite complimentary. The lemon
vinaigrette gave it a welcomed light cit-
rus finish.
Chef Mario finished the meal with
tiramisu, with a dusting of cocoa – an
Italian classic. Like the others, this dish
was also presented beautifully. The
creamy texture was so light that it could
almost pass as a whipped cream, but with
a rich aroma of coffee and a note of dark
chocolate to awaken the senses. Layers
of mascarpone cheese and ladyfingers
gave it a creaminess that was heavenly.
Topped with sliced strawberry and fresh
basil, it was the perfect encore to a de-
lightful meal.
The chef told me his passion for
cooking started back in 2001 when he
found his fist job working in a restaurant
in Beverly Hills, California. After a few
years, he decided to return to Italy and
enroll in culinary school.
Later, in 2013, he owned a food truck
called the Aretusa Pasta Food Truck,
which he drove throughout northern
Virginia offering homemade pastas and
sandwiches.
Bianca and his wife Pamela, a Niagara
Falls native, moved back to the region
Chef Mario Bianca holds the
orecchiette and broccoli rabe at
the Niagara Frontier Golf Club.
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