I recently took my aunt to the Delta Barrington’s Stone Street Cafe. My aunt is my mother’s sister, and I refer to her as my Hali-mom. Fortunately, she’s the quintessential “fun aunt”, a mix of protective momma and big sis! I had a gift certificate for the Stone Street Cafe, so I decided to take my faux-momma out for dinns. This spot is very tucked away, on the back end of the hotel, assessable by both the hotel itself and the Grandville Mall. You know what they say about little hidden restaurants; they’re often the best!

I had a feeling that the mains would be quite large, so we decided to split an appy. We went with the calamari panzanella; deep fried squid rings in a robust tomato sauce with mixed greens and focaccia croutons. I love calamari. As I have a feeling that I’d be unable to recreate this type of dish at home, I often go for it when I see it on a resto’s menu. I get excited when I find a resto that offers a new twist on the usual dish. Stone Street Cafe did just that with the tender greens and bite of earthy focaccia.

My aunt went for the seafood pasta in a rose sauce. Man, oh, man- I dunno what it is about a rose sauce, but it drives me wild! Perhaps it’s the combination of savory tomato and sweet cream, but it was the perfect pairing for the seafood. Served with papardelle, a hearty noodle, and a piece of crusty toasted baguette, it was a super fulling dish to satisfy both the appetite and the taste buds.

I also went with a seafood entree; Digby scallops on a luxurious bed of lobster risotto. Lobster risotto is, after all, a weakness of mine. There were fantastic flavor combos here; mouthwatering scallops were enclosed within a buttery pistachio crust, giving them a slightly crisp bite, while keeping the meat inside quite yielding to the tooth. Tender spring veg and a creamy risotto (of which I ate every grain) were a lovely accompaniment to the light seafood fare, complimenting the scallops, and in no way overpowering them. .

And yet, just as I thought I’d never eat again, a chef emerged with a sampling of desserts- a little dolce to end the meal. The plate had a trio of small portions of those available on the dessert menu. There was strawberry shortcake; buttery cake with fresh succulent berries and a sweet, yet light cream. The lemon meringue cheesecake was surprisingly light, with a subtle lemon flavor complimented by the tart cream cheese. To top it off, a chewy meringue. torched on top to allow or that slightly caramelized flavor I love so much about this dish. Next, came the chocolate macaroon, an exotic coconut treat with a slightly chewy texture, topped by a tantalizing blueberry sauce and grilled bananas.