Carmine’s Italian Cuisine, Revitalized

By Steve Cooper
The Foodie Foursome

Steve Cooper

It is fun to dine with friends. I am always on the lookout for restaurants to recommend within a 10 to 15-minute drive from the Milford/Orange area. Cindy and I were joined by friends Tammy and Steve for a fun night out at Carmine’s di Vega, a forgotten gem that lost luster after years under a previous owner. It is just off the exit 59 from the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Woodbridge.

If you have not been to Carmine’s di Vega in a while you will notice the open spacing of tables in the dining area and plentiful table seating in the bar area. Jose Luis Jara and chef Miguel Vega Bernal took over in 1998. The ambiance has been enhanced under the more recent ownership – a cleaner look of raw wood beams and losing the old, dusty fake grapevines. It’s nicely designed with the formality of cloth-covered tables and cloth napkins. Since its reemergence on the culinary scene, I have been there with smaller Rotary lunch gatherings, a larger group dinner with over 80 people and smaller, more intimate dinners. Their style is based on Tuscan/southern Italian cuisine.

Our evening started with a variety of appetizers. The nice thing about being out with friends is our “family style” approach in sharing each app, entrée and dessert. One of the things we instantly noticed was the chef’s attention to detail. The food was all elegantly presented and the recipes impeccably prepared.

We started out with caprese-style thick slices of fresh, beefsteak tomatoes served with fresh mozzarella and a balsamic drizzle. It was a refreshing way to start off the evening. The stuffed portobello was a large and meaty mushroom filled to overflowing with a delicious homemade stuffing of crabmeat, chopped onions and red peppers served over vodka sauce.

The tore di melanzane was so pretty and tasted as good as it looked. The eggplant was layered with roasted red peppers, mozzarella, fresh basil and drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Our last starter was a true classic. The calamari fritti, fresh squid served with a side of marinara, was done to perfection. The squid was tender and the coating delicate and lightly fried.

The next course was the house salad. It comes with most entrées and was a nice blend of crisp fresh lettuce, shredded carrot, cucumber and tomatoes. Their house dressing was a balsamic vinaigrette, tasty and properly emulsified. It was served with thick slices of warm, fresh Italian bread as well as a butter that was nicely softened and blended with honey.

This was followed by another classic: pasta fagioli. This traditional Italian soup consisted of two types of small noodles and cannellini beans in a flavorful broth enhanced by onion, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning and celery. It was smooth and tasty.

All of Carmine’s selections are prepared from scratch using the freshest, finest ingredients. Their menu is extensive, creative and offers a daily variety of specials derived from Vega Bernal. This made the entrée choices more difficult. We started with the pappardelle alla Vega. These wide egg noodles had the ideal texture and chew, cooked to perfection. It contained bounteous amounts of fresh-picked lobster meat, extra-large shrimp, and asparagus in a flavorful brandy and tomato cream sauce. While the tastes of the shrimp and lobster were subtle, they incredibly did not overpower the sauce. This is one of those special dishes that will become a favorite.

Next was the filetto pepe nero, an angus beef filet encrusted with black peppercorns and topped with a brandy cream sauce. This was a wonderful, large piece of tenderloin that was prepared to our desired temperature. The seasoning was spot-on, enhanced by the sauce and accompanied by green beans and hand-cut roasted potatoes. This was followed by the pollo capriccio. This exquisite dish had a delicate egg batter coating on the most tender chicken breast you may ever eat. It was gently layered with prosciutto and smoked mozzarella and finished with a delightfully exquisite sherry wine and lemon sauce.

Our last selection was one of their signature cuts of beef: the French cut veal chop. Since they welcome “off the menu” selections, I choose to have it pounded for tenderness while keeping its textural integrity and thickness and preparing it as veal parmigiana. This chop was so large that even after we all had some there was a sizable piece left over. It was tasty, tender and the marinara sauce well balanced with a wonderful acidic balance and level of flavor.

We finished the evening with an array of beautifully articulated desserts. The first two were frozen confectionary delights. The exotic bomba was a creamy ball of ice cream encased in white chocolate and served with a sliced strawberry and fresh whipped cream. The orange sorbet was served inside a carved-out frozen orange. The same was true of the lemon sorbet that I had during a previous visit. This simple and elegant dessert was tasty and palate-cleansing.

The last were Italian classics that were artfully prepared. The tiramisu had a delicate moistness with alternating layers of creaminess and espresso dipped lady fingers. It was not mushy, like you find in many restaurants, just the perfect taste and texture and made in-house. Next was a plate of biscotti, which means “twice baked.” These cookies had great texture and crunch and would have been the perfect dunking companion if we had a cappuccino. Next time. Last was the crème brûlée. The smell of that arriving was intoxicating, as the top had freshly caramelized sugar atop a perfect creamy custard.

After going to Carmine’s with friends, family or for a special occasion you will wonder why you have not been there before or in a long while. They open at 11 a.m. every day and are open for lunch and dinner. Carmine’s is located at 1500 Whalley Ave. on the Woodbridge/New Haven line. For reservations call 475-234-5976.

Steve Cooper is a local, national and international award-winning photographer, culinary influencer and executive director of the Milford Performance Center. Contact him at 203-723-3672.