Plate Profile – Tinto’s Sopa de Castaño
It’s time for another Plate Profile—a feature designed to highlight a dish being served in a Philadelphia restaurant that you need to try.
The chill of winter begs for hearty bowl of soup. And restaurants all over Philadelphia have been doing their part this season to create interesting versions of our favorite comfort classics such as butternut squash and carrot soups.
But the one soup that should not be missed this winter is Tinto’s Sopa de Castaño, a truffled chestnut soup ($12). What makes this soup so special is that it delivers intricate structure without tasting busy or out of balance.
The sweet, velvety soup is poured around a pillow of savory duck and mushroom hash that’s crowned with a fried quail egg. The hash’s chewy royal trumpet mushrooms parallel a delicate whisper of truffle oil to provide deep layers of woodsy and earthy goodness. Flecks of pistachio add texture while simultaneously echoing the soup’s nutty core. So intense, sinfully rich and satisfying on a primal level—one bowl of this soup will make even the most faithful man or woman feel like they just cheated on their spouse.
The wine you’ll want to pair with this decadent delight is the Domaine Brana Irouléguy Ohitza ($13/glass), a blend of Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Smokey with dark fruit flavors and notably round for the typically angular varietals at play, this medium-bodied wine has the weight to stand up to this powerful soup. At the same time, its woody tannins not only cut through the soup’s richness but also seemlessly blend with its earthy texture. The Ohitza also boasts a remarkable current of acidity that elevates the soup’s flavor.
4 comments:
That looks delicious.
Hi David. How're you? Love your blog, it has been very helpful. I really enjoyed Amada's, so hopefully Tinto's will be good as well.
I was wondering if you ever tried Il Portico: http://www.il-portico.com/index.htm
I love Italian food and would like to test it out before I take friends there. I recently discovered Non Solo Pasta in Morrisville Pa. If you're ever in the neighborhood it's delicious.
I was at the Tinto's once. The hostess was extremely rude about seating our party downstairs...she wanted us to use the bar table, which both another person and I did not want to do. In addition, my stomach did not feel too well later that night (and not from overdrinking) Once was more than enough....
As a Cuban with maternal roots in northern Spain, I can say that the sopa de castano was excellent as well as the charcutierrie (sausages). However, the lunch price tag was pretty high. Two people-soup/sandwich/appetizer/bottled water/espresso was $70.00 plus $22.00 for parking. It's like any restaurant with a name that has to match its price. Same with toney South Beach-you can get the same delicious Cuban food at Lirios or go to Versailles in Little Havana and pay a third. Well it's not really like that here in Philly!!!
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