Oltremare Ristorante Islamorada – Foodie’s Paradise at Amara Cay
After sampling Chef Dario Olivera’s outstanding Grilled Octopus dish at the Key Largo Food and Wine Festival, I was delighted to be invited for a special dinner at his restaurant, Oltremare Ristorante, at the Amara Cay Resort on Islamorada, one of the Florida Keys.
When you enter inside the Amara Cay Resort, you are immediately overcome with a sense of peace. The openness of the lobby, the calming neutral colors, the hanging hammock chairs –they all play into the resort’s ultra-chill vibe.
After a relaxing swing in a hammock chair, along with my fellow traveling food bloggers, I was drawn deeper inside the open-concept lobby, and into the Oltremare Ristorante’s stunning dining space. This is where Chef Dario’s Florida Keys-inspired, traditional Italian cuisine awaited us.
As a pre-dinner cocktail, I ordered the Zugroni, Oltremare’s take on the Negroni, – made with Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, Sweet Vermouth, and Gancia Americano, instead of the traditional Campari. The difference in using this aperitif is that it possesses the sweet as well as the bitter taste of Oranges. Plus, the Gancia Americano is aged in Oak Barrel’s on premise.
The meal started with a fantastic and very well put together Antipasto of Cured Beef al Barolo, nutty Midnight Moon Gouda-style Goat Cheese, Marinated Olives, Raw Almonds, Raw Keys Honey, and slices of hardy Baked Bread.
Sweet Sorghum Vinaigrette, made with Sorghum Syrup, Bourbon and a dash of Hot Sauce, really turned up the simple Homestead Greens Salad.
For the main entrée, I went with the grilled Cobia with a light ‘Melted’ Leeks Sauce topped with crunchy fried Leeks. Raised in the offshore aquaculture farm, Open Blue, the Cobia was rich and buttery. In Chef Dario’s version, his leeks are melted slowly in butter and heavy cream, and seasoned with thyme.
Zeppoli, rolled in Sugar and served with Nutella Cream Dipping Sauce, finished the dinner. The addictive Italian-style Deep-Fried Dough Balls were lightly crispy outside and soft inside, and perfection when plunged into the warm sweet Hazelnut and Cocoa Sauce.
We were quite reluctant to leave and end our amazing experience on Islamorada. However, Amaro Cay Resort has a new inducement for a quick return.
Starting on February 23, the resort will host Culinary Classes with Chef Dario at Oltremare Ristorante. On the last Tuesday of every month, from 6PM to 7:30PM, Chef Dario Olivera, and a featured mixologist, will be teaching guests to make homemade pasta, seafood specialties and craft cocktails.
The class is priced at $35 per person. Due to limited seating, reservations are required.
Oltremare Ristorante at Amara Cay Resort is located at 80001 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036, (80 MM). For restaurant or culinary class reservations, visit: www.oltremareristorante.com
For resort reservations or more information about Amara Cay, visit: www.amaracayresort.com