Grilled Artichoke Salad with a sprinkle of reindeer bone broth

 

Grilled Artichoke Salad

Tagliatelle alla Pescatora

Duck Magret and Confit

Citrus Avocado Mousse

The Birthday Gift She Actually Wanted: Coffee, No Kids, and Eataly

It's my wife's birthday. And here's what she wanted: drop the kids at daycare, get coffee at Copley, and just... exist. Without checking if someone needs a snack. Without wiping faces. Without negotiating nap time.

That's luxury for a busy mom. Not diamonds. Not a spa day. Just SPACE.

So we walked around Copley. Had coffee. Talked about things that weren't related to potty training. And then we went to Eataly for a proper Tatekitchen birthday dinner.

The Tatekitchen Way: Course by Course

I got really fresh seafood from Eataly, so right after coming home, I started preparing a full-course meal. Each one building on the last. Taking time.

Antipasti - We started with grilled artichoke salad. Arugula, roasted tomatoes, pine nuts, and a sprinkle of reindeer bone broth powder. Simple. The artichokes were slightly bitter, perfectly tender. The pine nuts added crunch. The rain deer bone broth powder brought a unique flavor and umami. My wife took one bite and smiled. "This is perfect."

Primo - Then came pescatore. Fresh seafood pasta. Mussels, clams, shrimp, squid rings - all swimming in a light tomato sauce with pasta. This is what Eataly does best. FRESH seafood. All I did was very simple, but it involved temperature control. IF you overcooked them, you won’t be able to taste the ocean. The pasta was perfectly al dente. The sauce wasn't heavy—just enough to coat everything.

Secondo - Here's where it got interesting—duck magret and confit. The breast was sliced medium-rare, with the center pink. The confit leg was falling-off-the-bone tender. With tiny potatoes and bright green Brussels sprouts on the side. Rich. Savory. PERFECT.

Dolce - We finished with citrus avocado mousse. Bright green, light, topped with fresh kiwi slices. Not too sweet. Just clean and refreshing after all that richness.

Happy birthday. Love you.

Kion Coffee