A pan-seared filet of white-fleshed black cod is served with crunchy panko-crusted vegetable sushi and a tower of tempura long beans. And of course, two sauces, one an ocean-fresh wasabi uni kabayaki butter sauce with soy and sweet rice wine, plus a sweet and tangy ginger-wasabi butter sauce for a little rounded heat. What a wonderful adventure of tastes and textures!
From the smart wine list, with nearly every established wine-producing region in the world spoken for, we chose the Di Lendardo Pinot Grigio from Fruili, Italy, a crisp, clean, and fruity affair with sufficient character to shine amid the fireworks of flavors on our plates.
For dessert: Enx’s reimagining of his mother’s revered lilikoi bread pudding, a concoction that is all at once moist, creamy, sweet, tart, smooth, and crumbly, infused with tropical fruit and Vermont maple syrup. A perfect ending.
In some ways, this is just like the Cala’s we have been dining at for years-a cozy room with a neighborhood feel, and a relaxed yet and knowledgeable staff. However, the creations of this talented young chef have transformed Cala’s into something else entirely: true destination dining that you should not miss.
The Menu 7 Beach St., Manchester, 978-525-3304, calasrestaurant.com. Chef: Enx Dadulas. Apppetizer: Stuffed chicken roulade with caramelized apples, cinnamon, mushrooms, and bacon ($12). Entree: Misoyaki-marinated butterfish with nori crisped vegetable sushi, tempura long beans, and wasabi uni kabayaki butter ($25). Dessert: Passion fruit pie served with a buttery maple syrup sauce, plus strawberries, blueberries, mango, and a butter wafer cookie. ($8)