By Bernie Whitmore

al Fresco Trattoria and Café
680 Main Street, Holden
508-829-3008
www.alfrescotrattoria.com
Outdoor dining in December? In Holden, Massachusetts? Relax, you won’t catch a cold, this is al fresco in name only. In fact, al Fresco’s dining room, with deep crimson walls, black ceiling and keno monitor, couldn’t be less suggestive of the outdoors. On a recent weeknight, I joined a couple friends for a birthday celebration. Upon arrival, we found the lounge area packed, but were immediately shown to a table toward the back of the dining room.

Megan introduced herself as our server and, after presenting menus, asked to take our drink order. However, as newcomers to al Fresco, we had plenty of research to do and began our reading of the menu. As expected, the core offering (which is substantial) derived heavily from classic Italian standards, but there are also burgers & fries for those who don’t care to stray too far from the comfort of American cuisine.

It was easy to choose our appetizers; we started with the classic Salumi Plate, a variety of sliced imported meats and cheeses served with olives, pepperoncini, and chunks of grilled Italian bread. While it included sturdy basics such as salami and prosciutto, we considered a special treat the thin slices of beet-red brescola, a smoky flavored cured beef. This dish was destined to be the most flavorful and well-conceived of our evening.

We also split an order of Risotto Crab Cakes. Everyone seems to have crab cakes on their appetizer menu, but al Fresco might just move ahead of the pack with this Italian variation – it as a “must try.” Three cakes were served with a sauce described as mango wasabi aioli. Such a flavor combination had really heightened our expectations, so we were a bit let down by the blandness of flavor both in the cakes and sauce. With the addition of some lumps of crabmeat and a healthy dash of wasabi, this dish could, though, be destined for stardom.

Our entrees were similarly marked by unevenness in either flavor or execution. I’m sure that al Fresca is familiar with Veal Saltimbocca as the menu describes it in standard form: veal and prosciutto ham sautéed with sage in a white wine garlic butter sauce. However, the dish as served to me was so dominated by lemon juice that its tartness had conquered all other flavors. The flavor of the meats had been rendered indiscernible. Thinking that perhaps the chef had mistakenly prepared veal picatta, I gathered up the leafy bits into one forkful and confirmed that they were, indeed, sage.

Happily, my friends were much more satisfied with their meals. The “birthday girl” had ordered St. Andrews Thai Shrimp and was delighted by the quantity and quality of jumbo shrimp sautéed in red curry coconut milk sauce. They were served over a mound of fragrant steamed jasmine rice with sautéed vegetables. Her only regret with her meal was the surprising lack of curry flavor.

This pattern repeated itself with my other friend’s bowl of Cioppino, a classic fish stew with variations found in every Mediterranean cuisine. This one featured generous numbers of sautéed shrimp, scallops, calamari and a trove of in-shell mussels. But the rich depth of flavor ~ garlic, perhaps fennel ~ was not to be found. He speculated that perhaps the pasta it was served over had soaked up the flavor.

For dessert, we agreed to share an order of Crème Brûlée. Al Fresco’s was served in a steep glass bowl and the traditional crust of burnt sugar. Under the assault of three spoons, it instantly vanished.

Al Fresco has the basics required of a fine restaurant: attentive service, a comfortable dining room and quality ingredients. But someone’s a bit timid when it comes to flavor and soul. To paraphrase a line from The Graduate, “I just want to say one word ~ just one last word: garlic.”