Dinner on the Patio at Davio’s Atlanta

A couple nights ago, I joined members of the Atlanta Food Bloggers’ Society for dinner on the patio of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in Buckhead. We couldn’t have asked for a better setting; the weather was beautiful and the table was set in a manner befitting a night of making new acquaintances and holding lively conversations over a thoughtfully planned meal. The best part of all is that our host for the evening, Steve Difillippo (owner of the Davio’s restaurant group) would be dining with us. How cool is that?!

As we arrived and got settled in, we were immediately offered pre-dinner beverage service. The wine options included Davio’s Reserve, Chardonnay and Davio’s Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon.  I choose the Chardonnay.  With the attentive staff on hand, there was always a “sip” in my glass when I needed it for the entire evening.

During this time, we were also offered some memorable appetizers like these Goat Cheese Potato Puffs. These little bites were warm, creamy and full of just the right amount of flavor.  I’m seriously craving them as I write.

There were also platters of Tuna Tartare and

these tasty Philly Cheese Steak Spring Rolls served with Spicy Homemade Ketchup & Spicy Mayo.

On the table we shared baskets of freshly baked bread alongside samples of Eggplant Tapenade, Peppered Goat Cheese and Olives. With all the great energy swirling around the appetizers, I could tell that dinner was going to be pretty impressive.

The First Course was an Oven Baked Jonah Lump Crab Cake with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce. This was a real crab cake. It was tender, seasoned gently and hearty enough to make me wonder if I would be able to tackle the remaining courses.

The Second Course was Hand-Rolled Potato Gnocchi Bolognese. The sauce was prepared with Braised Veal, Beef, Pork and Tomato Sauce. Talk about melt in your mouth goodness. The gnocchi and sauce were wonderful together and even better with a little fresh grated parmesan on top.  You see that little white ball in my plate? I was trying to be all conservative with the cheese but I fixed that on the second pass of the parm.

My concern about being able to finish the rest my meal increased as I polished off the last bite of this dish.

The Main Course was a Surf & Turf duo.  Our entrees included an 8 oz Brandt Prime New York Sirloin and Pan Seared Scallops over Pea Risotto with sides of Asparagus & Horseradish Mashed Potatoes. I enjoyed the nicely seasoned risotto with  the scallops; they seemed made for each other.  The char and flavor of the steak was perfect but, on the rare occasion when I do eat one, I prefer it well done.

I knew it would be a bit ambitious for me to try and eat all of this delicious food so I ate what I could then had the rest prepared to take home. However, we weren’t done yet.

Dessert was a Vanilla Panna Cotta topped with Georgia Strawberry-Mint Salad. I did eat this. Every. Single. Bite. It was light, not too sweet and the perfect ending to a lovely dinner.

As the night concluded, our host took the time to individually gift us autographed copies of his book It’s All About The Guest. I’m looking forward to reading it and discovering the inspiring business and life stories he is so passionate about sharing.

Thank you to Steve Difillippo and Davio’s Atlanta for your hospitality and generosity.  The level of service and attention to detail was commendable.  Thank you also to Denise Romeo of The Atlanta Food Bloggers’ Society for making the arrangements.

Disclosure: While the dinner at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse was complimentary, I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.  You can view my full Disclosure Policy here.