Good time to try this Ross hidden gem

The other evening I was near Ross and thought I'd try the Italian restaurant there that has been on my list for some time. Fresco Trattoria, or Marco's Trattoria as the red and white sign above the awning reads, is not new, but the food and service is as thoughtfully done as a newly opened restaurant that wants to succeed produces. After you've placed your order a basket with fresh bread is delivered, along with some wonderfully cured olives in a dish with olive oil.

The owner, Marco was the only one working there the evening I enjoyed dinner. I was quite amazed at how he was so friendly to all, and deftly waited, bussed and cooked sublime food without missing a beat. It may have proven too much for a full restaurant, but that evening had diners arriving in a well-paced way for this. I started with a lovely, heaping fresh Arugula salad with apple, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. It was ah-so-lightly and perfectly dressed and the argula was tender and not overly peppery.

Marco served me some of the most perfectly cooked pasta I've had in a very long time, the Casareccia. It was a spiral pasta in a caramelized onion and simple tomato sauce. He knew the EXACT moment to take the pasta out to have it with the perfect 'bite'.

With such perfection as a prelude, how could I not try one of his desserts? I opted for the whimsically named "Bongo Bongo", which were pastry puffs filled with Chantilly cream and drenched in a seductive chocolate sauce. My evening with Marco was perfection, and I've been sorry I left this place untried for so long! It is located right across from Ross Commons, and the summer season is the slow season, which seems like a great opportunity to enjoy it.

Restaurant Inspection Results
Critical: 0
Noncritical: 5
Last inspected: 4/17/2008

Find address/phone number/directions on Anna's Map.

Belated Friday. It's been one of those crush weeks, but I did enjoy a lovely dinner with my neighbor Jerrie, at Marche aux Fleurs in Ross, a first time for both of us. I was excited to hear that her new book, Kismet, has just been published and am looking forward to reading it. It was a beautiful evening and the setting couldn't have been better. This s a place where you can actually hear your dinner companion, and enjoy a nice conversation. It was a bit dark to get a good photo of the outside, so I scanned their card in as an introduction.

Jerrie started with roasted carrot soup with chive oil, a nicely balanced soup with depth.

I tried the traditional French onion soup, and was rewarded with a beautiful rich broth well blended with soft onions and bubbling cheese.

Jerrie went on to try the Grilled Cedar River hanger steak, borlotti beans, chanterelle mushrooms, frisée, salsa verde which sounded so interesting. She asked for it rare, and they took her a little more literally than she meant, but she said the flavor was good although a little redder than she would like. The beans had a smoky flavor and the dish was nicely presented, as you can see.

I tried the spinach paperadelle with lamb meatballs in a zucchini and mint sauce with green garlic and a lovely soft cheese (I forgot the name, shame on me!). The pasta was so freshly homemade, and had a perfect bite. It was fresh, inventive and flavorful. This place thoroughly deserves its good reputation.

Cafe Marmalade. This cafe advertising 'freshly baked' in Ross, looks cute, but fails to stand up. A big part of their menu for breakfast were bagel creations, but they had no bagels. So we chose sweets and cafe mocha. The cafe mocha was served in chipped cups, and the place looked a little unkempt, including the garden which could be charming with a little attention. Music was piped into the garden, French songs at first, changing to Indian, which didn't match the mood of the garden although I liked the tunes.

The town of Ross is charming and well worth a stroll through the tree lined commons. It looks like a charming small town, locked in a past time, but kept that way intentionally and artistically.