Tucson Elites Give Themes The Boot!

We here at Yelp know there's nothing quite as exciting as an ugly holiday sweater contest or belting out the lyrics to Yelp Is The Word, but we also know that sometimes costumes are best closeted and contests are cool if they're not constant. That's why 50 Elites and their guests gathered together at Tavolino Ristorante Italiano for Yelp Gives Themes The Boot: An enchanting evening of food and wine held on the restaurant's charming patio.

Restaurant owner and Executive Chef Massimo Tenino assembled a menu that spoke to the restaurant's specialties and Massimo's brother Paolo Tenino, who still lives in Italy, paired each course with a selection from the family winery located in Piemonte. The evening started with mini bruschetta, antipasto platters and stone-fired pizzas paired with sparkling prosecco in the courtyard. This meal before the meal was the perfect way to get Joshua B “in the mood to see what delights they had in store for the rest of the evening.”

As the sun began to set, eager yelpers took their seats on the patio for the first course, insalata mista. The mixed baby greens, leeks, locally grown tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette had the distinct tastes of Northern Italy lingering in the minds of party goers leaving everyone yearning for more! To fill that need course number two made its way to tables: Homemade beet ravioli filled with goat cheese and fresh thyme in a butter and tomato sauce. This delicate but rich pasta was paired with a refreshing Arneis, a crisp white that proved to be a favorite of the evening. It was so tasty, Molly H couldn't beleive it! "Somebody pinch me, because I am dreaming. There is a hint of beet in the fresh pasta, and whoever thought that up needs to be hugged."

As the wine began to flow freely, so too did the conversation, and plates of ravioli were polished off and exchanged for chicken cacciatore, a dish brought back specially from the restaurant’s original menu just for our occasion. The chicken was braised in a rich mushroom and tomato sauce served with polenta and spinach, this time paired with a Dolchetto D'Alba, a robust red that brought out the rich flavors of the dish's sauce. We think Yvett R really enjoyed it claiming, "the chicken cacciatore with polenta and spinach was amazing. Amazing. Where can I sign the petition to get this on the menu?"

How do you wrap up an Italian wine dinner? With plates of tiramisu as big as your head! These epic slices were so big, some of the baddest and boldest Elites couldn’t finish! Not Danny S though who states, "I ate the whole damned thing and wasn't even a little sorry." Well done! A delicately sweet Moscato D'Asti paired well with the sweet mascarpone, espresso and ladyfingers, Y-U-M!

There are a ton of people to thank for helping Yelp get back to the basics for an evening all about food and wine: Restaurant owner Massimo Tenino and his brother and winemaker Paolo Tenino, our servers Bryanna, Cassie and Scott, and Eduardo Larissa, Davide, Tom and Kristof, Tavolino's team of chef, event planner, managers and wine director respectively. These folks went above and beyond and created a very special evening that will go down as one of the best Elite Events in Yelp Tucson history! We wouldn't be able to take a "photo look back" without the sharp shooting skills of Billy K, and thanks to the great reviews you can read about the evening from those that were there!

Corey D

Tucson Community Manager &

Sufficiently Stuffed!