Circo – Bollito Misto Week, Midtown West, NYC

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to this establishment. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

I was recently invited to attend a media dinner at Circo, the whimsical, circus themed Italian restaurant run by the legendary Maccioni family.

The menu at Circo offers elegant, home-style, Tuscan fare inspired by signature recipes from the kitchen of Maccioni matriarch Egidiana Maccioni (aka Mamma Egi). The newly appointed Executive Chef Alfio Longo does a fabulous job of helming the kitchen at Circo with his signature contemporary flare.

We were invited to preview the menu for Circo’s 1st Annual “Bollito Misto Week” which launches on Monday, Jan. 27th – Friday, Jan. 31st, 2014. Bollito Misto is a treasured Northern Italian traditional winter dish.

We spent an intimate evening with a small group of bloggers of which my friend Jean-Philippe from I Just Want to Eat was present. There were also other press, the wonderful team from the Maccioni group, Mauro Maccioni and the amazing Mamma Egi, who regaled us with stories about how Bollito Misto, a rustic Italian dish became a Le Cirque and Circo classic.

As the evening progressed, we sampled course-by-course, dishes that were staples in Mamma Egi’s own kitchen. She had made the tortellini for that night herself!

What delighted me the most about this meal was just how simple the flavors were. It didn’t feel like we were sitting in a restaurant at all – I really felt as we were all in their family home sharing a truly authentic passion for food.

For the Maccioni’s, food and hospitality truly is a family affair. Simply put, in the words of one of the sons, “When we opened Circo in 1996, our business plan was simple, Dad’s Hospitality, Mom’s Food, run by the sons.”

I think that about sums up my experience at Circo. Now wouldn’t you say that demands a visit? I certainly do!

Here is some of what we ate: