Vendetta & Vino: The Commission Dinner
From the moment the doors opened, the Colorado Room had that classic “back-entrance to the Copa” energy. Low lights, deep reds, the soft drift of haze from the fog machine giving everything a warm, cinematic glow. The room looked like it was built for secrets, good wine, and bad decisions. A curated playlist of Italian greats rolled in the background, and for a moment, even I felt like I should check over my shoulder for Ray Liotta narrating.
Andrew and I spent hours building the wine lineup, and he delivered every pour with purpose. Patrick from Roanoke Wine lent insight that helped us tighten the lineup even more. And Shannon, our GM, was everywhere we needed her… in the kitchen, on the floor, keeping the night moving, and doing it all dressed to impress; A true Donna!
We kicked things off with Serra Barbera d’Alba 2023, a bright, no-nonsense opener, alongside personal charcuterie boards stacked with goat cheese, hand-pulled mozzarella, manchego, bresaola, salami Calabrese, dried apricots, figs, and crostinis. Warm-up bites for a long night ahead.
Frutti di Mare followed: calamari, shrimp, clams, and mussels in a spiced tomato broth, paired with Starda Langhe Nebbiolo 2022, cherry and rose keeping pace with the heat. By this point, the room was warmed up, the soundtrack was settling in, and the vibe was leaning more “One night in Queens…” than typical dinner service.
Mousse di Salsiccia, paired with Serraboella Barbaresco 2021, brought the richness; sausage and mascarpone whipped into something far smoother than it had any right to be, baked on herbed focaccia with roasted shallots and red pepper coulis.
“Beets by Duck” came next. Beet carpaccio, arugula, toasted hazelnuts, pulled duck, Parmesan, lifted by Sori’ Barbaresco 2020. Clean, fresh, a quick palate reset before the heavier hits.
The Barbaresco Basarin 2020 met our Three-Meat Raviolo; beef, veal, and pork folded with ricotta and topped with tomato and Parmesan, a soulful, honest pairing that brought conversation to a comfortable buzz.
For the finale, Lambsagna layered handmade pasta, lamb, tomato sauce, and béchamel with pesto and tomato in the colors of the Italian flag, matched with the poised Sori’ Barbaresco Vecchie Vigne 2016.
And dessert? Rachel Big Debra’s Cannoli Three Ways: beef-tallow chocolate, chocolate chip, and pistachio. The kitchen can confirm: It was a killer dessert!
When the haze settled and the adrenaline dropped, reality set back in. Bartender Steve kept the energy loose and maybe helped hide the evidence of how lively things got. Lindsey, Eli, and Kyle stayed sharp all night. Big Debra and Jacob held the line like pros.
We had a blast,
-Chef Dallas
