EAT This Week: Sylva’s Maiale Tonnato
To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.
If you’ve been waiting to give Sylva restaurant a try in Tahoe City, don’t wait any longer. Trust me. What they’re doing at the restaurant through their shared plates experience is not only fun, but also amazingly delicious. Case in point: this week’s feature.
This dish is a whimsical take on the classic Italian Vitello Tonnato. Subbing in for the traditional veal is a house-cured pork lonzino that gets a wet cure for about 10 days, then hung for an additional 30 to 40 days. Yes, this dish takes about a month to prepare. The thin slices of pork are then rolled and nestled upon a tuna conserva-anchovy mayo and accompanied by arugula, radish and crispy capers then finished off with fine shavings from a cured egg yolk.
Chef Andrew Shimer refers to this dish as a carpaccio on steroids and you can absolutely taste why. The pork is a bomb cyclone of flavor that’s equal parts salty and earthy but is also supremely delicate. When you get a bite with the salad it adds in a nice brightness along with plenty of texture. The sauce is equal parts silky and sexy and is a punctuation mark of umami flavor.
I was given two suggestions to pair with this dish: their house-made focaccia and a glass of wine from Sonoma’s Sixteen 600. The wine was indeed a fabulous pairing, but the focaccia was next level. Made in house by their Chef de Cuisine, the sourdough starter was plucked from her mother three years ago and is served with their house-churned butter topped with Maldon salt and a bagna cauda dipping sauce (A.K.A. Italy’s version of ranch).
I’m probably not exaggerating when I say this bread could change your life. I thought about it all the way home and am now thinking about it again as I type this out. Indeed, it was a magnificent pairing that I will happily be going back to try again – along with the rest of their menu.
Sylva New American Bistro is located at 521 N Lake Tahoe Blvd in Tahoe City. For menu and more information visit them online at sylvatahoe.com or by phone at 530-807-1099.
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