<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382935856/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4382935856_ca6074f07e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />I got to do this really cool thing a couple of weeks ago. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382174399/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4382174399_e3210a9bcf.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />I was asked to sit in on a taste test of the menu at a restaurant that will be opening very soon right here in Tulsa. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382175121/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/4382175121_9910a742e8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />That restaurant is <a href="http://www.piattotulsa.com/">Piatto Cucina Italiana</a>, and its doors will open for lunch service at 11 a.m. on Monday morning, March 1. Piatto is in the Tulsa Hills shopping center at 71st Street and Highway 75.<br /><br />Piatto is owned by Marcia Harris and Angelo Amabile, and they both came to Tulsa from the Sunshine State.<br /><br />Actually, while Angelo came to Tulsa from somewhere else in the U.S., he's originally from the Salerno region of Italy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4385602907/" title="Piatto by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4385602907_1881738a14.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><br />Meaning, he has a delicious Italian accent.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4386368112/" title="Piatto by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2736/4386368112_21ffb9cc71.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382934568/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4382934568_579917082b.jpg" width="375" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Quick! Which is sexier - Angelo, or those fried leek-topped scallops? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I know. I can't decide, either.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's Marcus. Or, as I should say, Chef Marcus. Marcus will be the head craftsman in the kitchen at Piatto.&nbsp;</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382173733/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4382173733_fb4b146d9d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Marcus isn't one of those angry chefs like on TV. Instead of throwing plates of hot food at you when you ask a question about what he's up to at the stove, he chats you up about the noms he puts in front of you. We bantered about everything from olive oil to ground pepper.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Plus, Marcus wears an apron. And he cooks. He cooks really, really well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382935132/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4382935132_a62b5fdeb2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Can you tell I think highly of men who can wield the power of a stove? Maybe just a tad?<br /><br />Needless to say, at a menu testing, there's a lot of food happening. And normally, a dish or two needs work.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't know if the Piatto folks did a test of their menu testing before their menu tasting, but I couldn't find much wrong with any of the dozen-or-so dishes put in front of me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My friends and family who have dined out with me know that this is quite a compliment. More often than not I'm that chick sending stuff back to the kitchen multiple times because the pasta is overcooked, the meat is overcooked or because the vegetables are overcooked (do we see a trend here? Don't overcook my food, okay?). <a href="http://havesporkwilltravel.blogspot.com/">Amanda</a> and <a href="http://tulsabusiness.com/">Holly</a> are among the few who have the nerve to visit a restaurant with me. These women are brave souls.<br /><br />And I'm kind of a jerk. And I'm okay with that. Most days.&nbsp;</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382934510/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4382934510_1650ef5b22.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Fried chickpeas. Oh, yum. </div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382174399/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4382174399_e3210a9bcf.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">House-made peppardelle with beef and slow-roasted tomatoes. Fork-tender meat, deep flavors and pasta that was actually cooked al dente.<br /><br />Heck yes.&nbsp;</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382174559/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4382174559_3161b159d0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Cannellini beans with shrimp and tomatoes and broth. Light and delicate, this dish would be the perfect light supper.</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382934946/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/4382934946_abab26f3dc.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Gnocchi with house-made sausage, tomato and spices. Spicy, simple and sexy.&nbsp;</div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382174143/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4382174143_5bbb9bf985.jpg" width="375" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">There was a lot of this happening at the testing, of course. Everyone becomes close friends when Italian food hits the table.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For dessert we had this.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382175447/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4382175447_2dbf3f7105.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Which was basically just a sliced-up version of a rustic apple pie, served up with a side of the softest, most delicately flavored hazelnut gelato I've ever had. </div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382175539/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/4382175539_99a9751e13.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Now <i>that's</i> a pretty pie. The kind I make, not so much. </div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4389808376/" title="Pie Fail by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Pie Fail" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4389808376_15b39a47bd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Oh my yikes. Let's not go there.<br /><br />We also had this.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4382175285/" title="Piatto Cucina Italiana by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2738/4382175285_a6963b8f9f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A rich chocolate cake that was just as delectable as it looks. With more lovely gelato, for which I was most thankful.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If any of this has you mopping drool from your keyboard, you're in luck. Thanks to the folks at Piatto, <b>I have two spots to this Sunday's preview dinner reserved for one lucky TDT reader</b>. Not only will you get to try Piatto before just about anyone else in Tulsa, but you'll also get free dinner and dessert. And you'll get to meet Angelo, too. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll accept entries until tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 25) at 8 p.m. Please enter only if you'll be in the Tulsa area and available for dinner this Sunday between 6-9 p.m.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Good luck, everybody. And buon appetito!</div></div><br /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/58/1514031/restaurant/Southern-Hills/Piatto-Cucina-Italiana-Tulsa"><img alt="Piatto Cucina Italiana on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1514031/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a>