<http://www.verdisbistro.com/index.html >, you are missing out!!! When I go out for dinner, I want to be wowed and feel as though I just tasted something that I could not replicate at home or have prepared in the same way at any other restaurant. Mission was Accomplished at Verdi's! Verdi's is tucked away in a strip mall, but don't let this fool you. Although it is a very small restaurant and requires reservations, it has a wonderfully intimate and warm atmosphere. My Fiance and future in-laws visited Verdi's for the first time on Sunday night, and we were impressed by both the incredible service and the delicious wine and entrees we ordered.
My Fiance and I are slowly morphing into what most casual wine-drinkers call "wine snobs," and therefore, my Fiance had already researched and chosen a few appealing bottles of wine from Verdi's wine list prior to arriving at the restaurant that evening. Upon arrival, we decided to try the David Bruce Pinot Noir, and were not disappointed! After this wine was allowed to breathe, it's fruit began to shine through, making it a nice choice for the seafood we planned to order.
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| David Bruce, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir |
Before we get to the food, I must mention the Herb-Infused Olive Oil that was brought to our table first, with a basket of warm Italian bread. This dipping oil was something special! I detected Basil as being the main herb infused into the oil, which I could tell was of the highest quality to begin with. There may have also been a bit of Rosemary in the oil as well. It was delicious, and the bread was the perfect texture for soaking up all the flavors. I am usually one to skip on the bread and oil at restaurants so that I have more room to enjoy my entree, but I could not resist it here... a definite winner at Verdi's!
All of Verdi's entrees come with their house salad, but diners have the option of upgrading to one of their menu salads for $4.00 extra. Although this seemed to be a steep price for a small change, I did decide to upgrade to their Spinach Salad, which was uniquely prepared with red onions, tomatoes, spiced candied walnuts, dried figs, and dressed with a delicious ginger lemongrass vinaigrette. It was amazing and worth every extra penny! Unfortunately, I devoured it before I remembered to take a picture, because it was just that good :-)
For my entree, I ordered the Hawaiian Walu Mediterranean. The rustic Mediterranean flavor combination is everything I love about Greek and Italian cuisine rolled into one. The texture of the fish was flaky, moist, and light in flavor, which was a great canvas for the olive, tomato, and feta sauce. The bed of spinach was a nice compliment to the texture of the fish. Paired with the Pinot Noir we ordered for the table, it was a match made in food heaven!
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| Hawaiian Walu Mediterranean: a flaky light fish served over a bed of sauteed spinach with a delicious sauce of olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese! |
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| As you can see, nothing was left of my Hawaiian Walu Mediterranean at the end of the meal! So Good! |
My Fiance ordered the grilled Swordfish, which was served on a bed of jasmine rice with pumpkin seeds, seedless grapes, extra virgin olive oil, red onions, and sauteed spinach. The unique accompaniments to this rather steak-like fish really created a very fresh and light combination. Although I can't say this was my favorite among all the entrees our table ordered, it was still very good and something for the Swordfish lover to try. I, myself, am not a huge fan of the fish, but still thought it worthy of praise here.
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| Swordfish grilled with grapes, pumpkin seeds, red onions, and sauteed spinach on a bed of rice. |
After trying my future father-in-law's Nut Crusted Tilapia with brown-butter rum sauce, I understood why this is one of Verdi's signature dishes at the restaurant... the macadamia nut crust is to die for, and something I had never had as a crust on top of anything before! It was genius!
My future mother-in-law ordered the Chilean Sea Bass that came pan-seared with cannelini beans, oven-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. This was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! I would have been very tempted to order this if I hadn't had Chilean Sea Bass the previous night. Again, the unique way it was prepared made this a stand-out dish.
We ordered the German Chocolate Cake for dessert, which was so huge that the four of us couldn't even finish the last few bites, despite how delicious it was. It came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and was drizzled with a warm coconut caramel sauce. So moist and delicious!
This is definitely a restaurant worthy of a 5-star rating. The prices are a perfect match for the quality of food and service you will receive here. I absolutely loved the fact that the Executive Chef of the restaurant came out into the dining room at the end of the service to ask each table how they enjoyed their meals! The fact that Verdi's welcomes feedback at every level, including Trip Advisor and Yelp, demonstrates their dedication to running a successful restaurant now and into the future.
So, if you find yourself on Marco Island for an evening, I suggest making a reservation at Verdi's ASAP. You will undoubtedly walk away having had a very unique food experience that you will be inclined to share with your family and friends. The way Verdi's is able to transform a basic filet of fish into something extraordinary with their fresh and creative use of ingredients and flavor combinations is something to be applauded!
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