By Frank D. Quattrone
I am a part of all that I have met.” This telling line from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s great poem “Ulysses,” easily typifies the wide-ranging world-class identity of Executive Chef Lo, longtime owner of Warrington’s Villa Barolo. Now beginning its twenty-first year in business, this celebrated restaurant continues to excite the loyalty of all manner of guests—from those who enjoy traditional Italian favorites to intrepid diners whose taste buds crave more adventuresome dining.
Very few restaurants serve organic game meats on a regular basis, let alone advertise it on their website and outdoor signage (and prepare it so well). We’re talking about everything from buffalo, venison, rabbit, and duck (also available in many eateries) to ostrich, elk, wild boar, and kangaroo. But at Villa Barolo, you’ll find at least two game dishes available every single week.
On the chilly night of our most recent visit, I ordered one of the amazing specials on the chef’s Restaurant Week Menu—a sumptuous Pan Roasted Boneless Pheasant, stuffed with foie gras, chestnuts, and ground veal, in a white wine demi-glace, accompanied by crisp haricots verts and cipollini (bittersweet bulbs of the grape hyacinth) with garlic mashed potatoes on the side.
My wife enjoyed the Combination Veal & Lamb Chops, with Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes, which she described as the best chops she’s ever tasted. And so it goes at Villa Barolo.
So how did the menu of this accomplished, still boyish chef grow so exceptionally over the years? What else would one expect from this native of Hong Kong, who learned the fine art of Italian cooking from a German chef at Philadelphia’s celebrated Hotel Hershey years ago? Chef Lo loves Italian food, as do his guests. But in addition to Eggplant Parmesan and Risotto Fra Diavolo, you’ll also find Lobster Ravioli and the chef’s signature Homemade Potato Gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce on the menu.
Chef Lo enjoys greeting his guests personally and stopping by their tables to check up on their satisfaction with their menu choices. He travels the corners of the globe, reveling in the local cultures and cuisines of familiar and faraway sites. Over the years—from his days as executive chef at Philly’s La Veranda and his own Café Marco Polo in Elkins Park to his time at Villa Barolo—he has amassed a catalog of literally thousands of culinary gems, all of which he has perfected.
And during our latest visit, he personally treated us to a plate of his latest creation, inspired by a similar dish he first tasted in Portugal—Potato Carbonara, impossibly delicate, thin-sliced potato, bacon, and egg, tossed tableside for maximum pleasure. Even the dinner plates, edged with a map of the ancient world, speak of the adventuresome nature of this thrilling restaurant. Many guests call ahead to see what game they might enjoy on their next visit. From a recent menu: “Tenderloin of Antelope Lightly Seasoned & Grilled Drizzled with a Barolo Wine Demi-Glaze Accompanied by Grilled Portobello Mushrooms & Sweet Mashed Potatoes.”
Our appetizers were no less opulent and delicious. Eve enjoyed the Seafood Antipasto, a mélange of colorful cuttlefish, jumbo shrimp, fennel, red pepper, celery, and carrots in a lemon vinaigrette, and I loved the Mediterranean Puff Pastry, stuffed with jumbo lump crab meat and jumbo shrimp in a cognac tomato cream. Both delightfully tasteful to both the eye and palate.
Between courses, our genial and cultured server, Micah I., regaled us with tidbits about the menu and the experience he’s had at major restaurants from Maine to California. Like the many guests whose children and now grandchildren continue to enjoy the Chef Lo dining experience, Micah loves the ambiance and identity of this unique restaurant. Hostess Hayley Rivel also stopped by our table to chat. Chef Lo is especially proud of his staff—in particular the five chefs who’ve worked side by side with him from their days together from Marco Polo to the present.
Nothing is too hard to do or order at Villa Barolo (named, by the way, after one of Italy’s finest robust red wines). I’ve sometimes asked for a Negroni (an Italian martini), and some servers look puzzled, saying they need to consult their bartender. But Micah didn’t blink. He soon brought me my refreshing cocktail in a chilled aluminum martini cup.
Dessert was no less special— a delectable Crème Brûlée with fresh berries, and Poached Pear soaked in Grand Marnier and served with vanilla gelato and a chocolate wafer.
True to its spirit of diversity and all-inclusiveness, Villa Barolo accommodates all dietary preferences. And every sauce and most items on the menu are prepared fresh, in house, every day. Chef Lo, a world-class chef, and a kind, generous soul, makes the promise: “If I have the ingredients, I can, and will, make it for you.”
Don’t miss it. It’s an unforgettable dining experience!
Villa Barolo is located at the corner of Route 611 and Bristol Road, 1373 Easton Road, Warrington, PA 18976; 215-491-9370; www.villabarolo.com. Open for lunch and dinner, Sunday–Thursday, 12 – 9 p.m.; and Friday & Saturday, 12–10:30 p.m. Full-service bar. Raw Bar. Available for private parties. Reservations recommended, but walk-ins welcome.