La Masseria Monday

We actually checked this place out last week.  I am just getting around to mentioning it, I guess...

This Italian joint down the road from us was recommended by our landlord.  He happens to be Italian, like from Milan not New Jersey, so I figured his pick for such restaurant was worth a visit.

Yup, it was.

We ended up there after KVC worked late.  I had been attacking the yard all day.  Our collective objective was a quick, casual bite, but our first option was closed for a private thing.
Since we still don't really know where shit is here, we randomly headed towards East Greenwich and I remember this place...

Now I am pretty sure that most people who dine here hire people to manicure their lawns, or at least hit the showers before heading out to dinner.  The dude in the suit ushered us to table straight away, in spite of my appearance.  The only table left, now that I think about it, even the bar was full.

So really, you don't care about any of that.  This seems to be a food driven post, right?
Sure...

We had some frito misto, you know, fried calamari and what not.  Served with standard marinara kind of a dipping sauce, but way better than most people's standards.  Pretty good.
I sorta regretted not getting the special appetizer, but you know fried things always keep people from further commenting on how hungry they are...
What else?
I ordered a pasta dish, because it's an Italian place.  The rough cut noodles with smoked mozzarella and eggplant,  Now that was some good shit.
We had some simple sauteed spinach, with some garlic for flavor.
A seafood special, that was a clam plus other plus broth and crusty bread deal.  That was also remarkably good, in spite of my ability to actually concisely remark on what it was.  Like cioppino, without noodles, sorta.
We split everything, more so I could get to try more parts of the menu, but that made the portions almost tapas like which really fit the bill.

Really great food, nice wine list, service with people who are professionals.
I would say this place is better than the other whoopty-doo place that folks here seem crazy for, but I have only visited both once.  I would recommend this La Masseria before Al Forno, if that is worth anything.  Just more my thing, I guess...



In other news, we did standard crap, you know...

Got some more house things, including a cart/island thingy for the kitchen.  I like it, more room to prep food and I don't have my back to the world, head in a dark corner to do it.  The kitchen here isn't exactly pretty, but it finally feels more functional.

Yesterday was declared Sangria Sunday.

I made some versions featured in our friend Mittie's sangria book, which we helped with some years ago.  By help, I mean we invited people to party's at our place, made snacks and got drunk on sangria.  It was hard work, I tell you.

I whipped up a white sangria with oranges and campari, which ends up like a gentle negroni if that makes sense.  There was a rose deal, with three berries and basil also in reserve.
One of KVC's associates came over, along with her big dog.

We chatted, sipped, art toured, noshed, watched a thunder storm, blabbed, drank, snacked, played with dogs, slurped and ate over the course of many hours.

There was an improv sangria, midway through the afternoon when supplies were getting low.  Basically the berries mentioned above, some stuff I forgot and a bottle of red.  We were all really thirsty...

If you have hung out with us, at home, it was like that.

I have gotten feedback from the other attendees that perhaps we should go with Sangria Saturdays from here on out.
Apparently Sunday is followed by Monday and that doesn't go well with sangria, or something...