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As the Italian proverb goes, “A tavola non s’invecchia” (At the table, one does not grow old). It’s a reminder about the important things in life: slowing down, taking the time to be with family and friends, appreciating what is before you and allowing the pleasures of good food, wine and company to suspend the passage of time.

On May 2, Dolce hosted the third in a series of intimate dinner parties, and, for several hours, time was suspended as guests gathered around the table to enjoy an exquisite four-course menu prepared by Chef Roberto Marotta at his restaurant, Dova. Chef Roberto’s cooking is inspired by his philosophy of “less is more” — combining fewer ingredients to produce exceptionally flavourful dishes. With fewer ingredients in a dish, flavours are more emphasized, making it even more important that they are of the highest quality. Chef Roberto’s use of Zerillo Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil added wonderful flavour throughout his skillfully curated menu and highlighted the versatility of the oil in its ability to be used in a variety of ways. For starters, guests enjoyed seared Digby Bay scallops over a Spring green pea purée topped with caviar and a drizzle of Zerillo oil. Next, thick-cut mezzi pacchierei pasta was the perfect vessel to hold an organic broccoli pesto. The pasta was served with Nova Scotia lobster and drizzled with Zerillo oil infused with fresh chilli purée. A dry-aged ribeye steak followed, this time with the addition of smoked Zerillo oil for a different flavour impact. For dessert, olive oil cake was served alongside lemon gelato and amaro Amara jelly, the high-quality Zerillo oil ensuring that the cake was rich, moist and flavourful.

Once again, the menu was paired with a sommelier-led selection of wines, courtesy of Connoisseur Wine Imports. This time, wines were chosen from one producer, Sojourn Cellars, a boutique winery that crafts high-quality artisan wines from the finest vineyards in the most renowned appellations of Sonoma and Napa counties. An exquisite artisanal Extra Añejo Tequila from producer Cava De Oro in Jalisco, Mexico was chosen to pair with dessert. With aromas of sweet agave and caramel and hits of oak and grape from aging in ex-red-wine French oak barrels, it offered a perfect balance to the citrus flavours and aromas in the olive oil cake and gelato.

It is said that the seeds of today are the flowers of tomorrow. Our Dolce dinner parties pay homage to this, hoping to inspire and remind that kindness, gratitude, togetherness and community are just a few of the many behaviours that we can foster today, to help create a brighter future for the world tomorrow.

We invite you to sit around our Dolce table for our next dinner at Oretta Midtown on Tuesday, May 30.
Dinner Tickets Oretta Midtown Tuesday May 30th, 2023