Last month, a small eatery that makes a big impact opened inside Old Town Scottsdale’s quaint Bespoke Inn. Chef Gio Osso’s Virtu restaurant offers a menu of contemporary cuisine inspired by his Mediterranean roots and global
influences. Though the restaurant hosts only a handful of tables (definitely make a reservation) and a sizable bar–making it quite comfortable and welcoming–the eats are undeniably high-end.
The Virtu menu changes regularly, but diners will always find amazing hand-crafted cocktails (order the Bluegrass), house-made pasta dishes, a selection of meat and seafood plates and divine apps and desserts. And each dish is presented to perfection. During our visit, we enjoyed a summery starter of cornmeal-crusted soft shell crab paired with watermelon–incredibly refreshing. Another amazing appetizer, the burrata, alongside juicy tomatoes, was simple and scrumptious. One of the best burrata dishes in the Valley.
Another summer-perfect dish, the halibut, crisped expertly and topped with melon salsa, is irresistable on a bed of beet couscous. (The dish looks mighty pretty, to boot.) Meat lovers will adore the mocha buffalo skirt steak. Hearty with a hint a chocolate, this meat melts in your mouth.
For dessert, Virtu offers two to three amazing selections–and you might as well order each one. The warm dark chocolate cake with salted caramel is rich and heavenly and great companion to a cappuccino. Another more unique selection is the mascarpone ice cream with balsamic figs and amaratti crumbles. It is hard to put down the spoon for either of these tempting after-dinner delights. http://www.virtuscottsdale.com/.
A Taste of Virtu
