Third Time Lucky @ RedRossa

I love bruschetta.  I always have.  I’m kind of a snob about it.  So when a bunch of friends and I went to the RedRossa here in town last week, and my bruschetta was basically just slices of their standard dipping bread with a couple of chopped tomatoes on top, I wasn’t happy.  I would have told our server to take it back, but she was obviously not suited to the profession of waitressing.  Unfortunately I’m unaware of any legal profession where women get paid for flirting with male customers.  None of us were happy with our food or service.  I believe the waitress received 2 cents as a tip, rather than the $25 she could have made as a tip from our table had we received proper service.  Admittedly, the sub-par food was not her fault.

So being the nag that I am, I contacted the corporate office and got a response quickly.  I also received an email from the manager.  Three nights later and we were back.  The food was better, if not quite on target, and our server Allie was awesome.  I don’t know what her total tip was, but the table spent about $175 on food and drinks.  OK, so mine was one iced tea since I don’t drink alcohol.

Last night was the third visit in a week.  Yes, even I am nearly bruschetta’d out.  But it was cheap burger night or cheap appetizers during happy hour, and my brother likes to eat cheap when he’s in town.  I did order the bruschetta again, and made sure to tell the server that I would like it prepared as the menu states, and their recipe and menu photo show with the bread lightly charred.  And that is exactly how I got it.  Right down to having garlic in the topping this time.  You could tell the topping had time to marinate before being put on the mozzarella.  Now if the bread had still been warm when the cheese was placed on it to allow a little melting or softening, it would have been perfect.  If they could prepare it that way, I’d eat it every night for dinner.

One of the reasons I was so tough on RedRossa is that I like their food.  It’s fresher than a lot of Italian places, and I don’t feel weighed down by it or as though I’d just eaten part of a salt lick.  So thank you, Kelsey and RedRossa, for addressing the problem and proving you can do it right.  And now I can have bruschetta anytime, thanks to finding their recipe on the Internet.  Ya just gotta love those “Interwebs” as one of my staff calls it.  Of course, she still uses a rotary dial telephone . . .  and of course I had to tweak it to add a bit more flavor.

Bruschetta with Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients: 
8 each - slices French or Italian bread, cut on slight bias
8 Round slices - of fresh mozzarella
8 Tablespoons - tomato bruschetta mix (recipe follows)
few drops - olive oil
Balsamic Reduction- Garnish (recipe follows)
Shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese- Garnish

 
Brush the bread with just a bit of olive oil and toast or char-grill the sliced French bread on both sides.  Cut mozzarella into slices approximately the size of the bread. Place on bread and top with tomato bruschetta mix.  Sprinkle Parmesan on top.  In a small mixing bowl toss mixed field greens with small amount of olive oil and toss.  On a large round plate drizzle with balsamic reduction.  Serve with additional olive oil and balsamic for dipping.
Tomato Bruschetta Mix
4 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped
2 ounces fresh basil sprigs
2 Tablespoon olive oil 
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh garlic2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch kosher salt

In small bowl combine all the bruschetta mix ingredients   Mix with spoon until well blended and set aside until ready to plate

Balsamic Reduction:
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Place balsamic vinegar into a sauté' pan with sugar and turn on medium heat.  Bring to a medium simmer and continue to reduce by half the volume (5-7 minutes).  Cool down in an ice water bath (half water/half ice).

RedRossa bruschetta according to the photo on their menu and Facebook.

My bruschetta last night.  Finally, charred bread!

Little 'Mater finally ripened!  It's a real Roma tomato!  If I had a few more,  I'd have whipped up a batch of bruschetta tonight for dinner.  But instead I enjoyed the benefits of onions and peppers in my salsa.