Twenty Years Of Marriage Celebrated At Ibiza Restaurant In New Haven

Where a food writer chooses to dine on that most special of occasions is telling. My choice for Ann’s and my 20th Wedding Anniversary was Spanish standout Ibiza Restaurant in New Haven.

We were greeted at the door by old friend Juan Carlos Gonzáles, one of the most gracious and astute front-of-the-house people in all of Connecticut.

We could hardly wait to reacquaint ourselves with the food of talented Galician chef Manolo Romero (shown here with his wife, Andrea).

After Ann and I settled into our seats,

I snapped a few photographs of the restaurant. Both the curved granite bar

and the front dining area

hummed with happy activity.

Helpful staff brought us terrific bread furnished by Chabaso Bakery in New Haven.

I have run into Chabaso’s enlightened owner Charlie Negaro on Church Street when he has been handing out loaves of bread like Johnny Appleseed introducing that most American of fruits (even if its origin is thought to be in Western Asia) to the Midwest two centuries ago. Good Spanish extra virgin olive oil was ideal accompaniment to the bread.

Our waiter brought us a bottle of 2004 Mayor de Ondarre Reserva, Rioja, Spain, a lovely Tempranillo produced by winery Grupo Bodegas Olarra and supplied by Classic Wines that was recently awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator.

He was so well-trained and helpful that he could just about do the job with his eyes closed.

Excitement coursed through our veins. The many meals we had enjoyed at Ibiza had raised our expectations to a level few establishments could meet. We couldn’t wait to begin our multi-course tasting. Each portion, of course, was smaller than it would have been if it had been ordered individually.

Our first course featured Japanese soup spoons cradling lightly poached Blue Point oysters with cream of celery, capelin roe, julienne radish and a Pedro Ximénez sherry vinegar reduction.

Our second course showcased three little Iberian treasures: a chilled cucumber and honeydew melon gazpacho, a Padrón pepper (my wife’s was sweet, mine spicy) sautéed with olive oil and sea salt, and a codfish croquette (its exterior crunchy, its interior a creamy béchamel of cod).

Our third course was a ceviche of bay scallop, shrimp, red onion, mango and citrus juices served over avocado.

Our fourth course turned out to be a sumptuous foie gras and sweet potato raviolo served over sautéed sugar snap peas and baby carrots cooked with butter, thyme and crispy bacon.

Our fifth course contrasted dual treats of squid ink risotto and a codfish confit in a Club Ranero sauce.

Our sixth course presented us with braised short ribs with shallot confit and chorizo sausage gnocchi in a Priorat red wine sauce.

We figured that since the meat course had arrived, we were winding down toward dessert. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Our seventh course surprised us with New England lamb chop in a rice vinegar and mint au jus, crispy ravioli stuffed with braised baby lamb and wild mushroom, and red potato with grape tomatoes, plum and strips of wildly flavorful Serrano ham. Wow!

Our eighth course rewarded us with incredible roast suckling pig served over a potato confit with an apricot purée and a rosemary-infused honey sauce. Vinegary greens were the counterpoint to the richness of the crispy skinned but succulent roast pork.

Dessert had to be next, right? Nope! Our ninth course was a lovely cheese platter featuring (from right to left) Garrotxa cheese from Cataluña, San Simón, a slightly smoked cow’s milk cheese from Galicia, and Cabrales blue cheese as well as membrillo (quince paste), pieces of walnut and Marcona almonds.

Our tenth course, finally dessert, was a felicitous pairing of chocolate savarin with a fresh berries salad topped with Moscatel snow.

But we still weren’t finished! Our eleventh, and final, course featured a flan with Rioja red wine poached pears, the bowl inscribed with anniversary wishes, a candle firmly planted in a scoop of housemade lemon peel ice cream.

As my beautiful bride and I wished for many, many more happy anniversaries, we couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate such a momentous occasion than a visit to Ibiza Restaurant in New Haven.

Ibiza Restaurant, 39 High Street, New Haven, 203-865-1933
ibizanewhaven.com