A Taste Of Veneto At Giusto, Newport

 The Newport Food And Wine Festival was different this year.  Gone was the always very crowded Grand Tasting and replaced with a number of smaller events and seminars that sold out quickly. The silver lining was a great restaurant program offering more intimate wine dinners sponsored by some fantastic wineries.  We attended one of them at Giusto sponsored by Masi, a family-owned, centuries-old winery just outside Venice, Italy.  And although we love the Grand Tasting, you know what?  We liked this program even better!

First of all, it's a limited number of participants.  Rather than fight the crowds ten deep at the popular restaurant and vintner's tables and guard a choice seat with a vengeance, it allowed for a much more gracious and relaxed atmosphere.  Giusto pulled out all the stops.  

The restaurant is fairly new and offers a prime location right on the water.  The sleek, contemporary design with both indoor and outdoor seating, plus a covered outdoor area where the event was held, proved to be a very coveted spot on this last weekend of summer and one that had many other events bringing in thousands of visitors.

The service was impeccable, the food a bright and inventive take on Italian cuisine and the crowd and atmosphere festive.  This is as good as it gets for late summer dining (and wining) experiences.  The young, friendly yet very professional staff was a welcome relief in these days of covid woes hitting the hospitality industry hard on the service front.

We were greeted with ice cold glasses of Santa Margherita Sparkling Rosé, a perfect choice.  Our first passed appetizer taste was this Fritelle.  The ricotta, honey and truffle in a fried crust was sublime, both rich and airily light at the same time, just packed with flavor.

Next was The Scotch Meatball, a menu staple.  Tomato, egg and salumi in, again, a perfectly crispy, not overly heavy, crust.  What a great start to the evening and a prelude to the four course dinner paired with some great wines!

Circle back later this week for A Taste Of Veneto, Part II.

Giusto at Hammets Hotel

4 Commercial Wharf

Newport, RI  02840

Telephone:  401.324.7400