Rustica

Rustica, Rustic European Cuisine.  I think Rustica can be summed up in one simple but meaningful word, wow! This one quaint elementary word speaks at epic volume for this place.  Service, atmosphere, menu, drinks and food, just wow.  The decor is simple but elegant with a calm and clean atmosphere.  The drink menu is put together very well with an excellent beer list and a wine list that has been put together by a true connoisseur.  The wait staff is very well trained and very knowledgeable about the menu.  I usually try to stick to just food with my blog but Rustica is more then just their amazing food, everything has been put together so well that your whole dining experience is elevated to a level that doesn't exist anywhere else in Kalamazoo.  We have some great eateries in Kalamazoo, but the true definition of gastronomy is written on every inch of Rustica.

My wife and I started our meal off with Rusticas charcuterie plate of beautifully arranged artisan cured meats, grilled bread, pickled veggies and their house made mustard. Everything on the plate was great which makes it hard to say what was best about it. For me, it is a tie between the Italian spec with a bit of candied fig and the head cheese on grilled bread with a smear of mustard.  The main course was the reason wow became the choice word of description for Rustica.  My wife and I both ordered their feature dish. Half of a roast duck with fig and sage sauce paired with a delicata squash risotto.  This dish was divine. Finally someone in Kalamazoo who has a roast duck dish.  The duck could not have been cooked any better. The temperature was perfect, the skin was slightly crispy and seasoned to perfection and the fig and sage sauce had just the right amount of savory to sweet balance.  Risotto will always be great dish whether as an entrée or as a side dish, and the delicata squash risotto was no exception.
Everything about it was beautifully done. The pureed squash gave the risotto a great texture, while delicious cubes of squash broke up the rice dish, making sure that your palate wasn't boring.  The dish was very well put together and it was also very well planned out for the time of year.It is a very comforting and warm dish for an early fall evening.  Every bite literally made me say wow.  I was incredibly happy with me experience at Rustica and I strongly suggest that if you, the reader, enjoy great food paired with a great dining experience, Rustica is the place to be.  Rustica, wow.
http://www.rusticakzoo.com/index.htm