The food that comes out of the restaurant is inspired, but the brothers struggle. When Louis Prima is scheduled to appear at the restaurant the brothers prepare for a very big night.
The film is not only a favorite of mine, but of Watermark Chef and owner Maria Walusis who hasn’t done this big feast since the pandemic.
The special “Big Night” inspired feast returns to Watermark on Nov. 5. The five course dinner is $135 per person and will be paired with Italian wines.
The centerpiece to the meal is an epic baked Timpano.
This is a showy, wonderfully complicated overstuffed pasta dish that weighs a ton, takes days to prepare and is as impressive to behold as it is to delight in. Stuffed with salami, meatballs, hard boiled eggs, pasta, provolone and Romano cheese and zingy homemade sauce it is enveloped in dough and baked in a bowl. What emerges is an humble looking dish that doesn’t even begin to hint at the magic that lies inside.
The meal is paired with a selection of Italian wines from Wine Trends whose representatives will be on hand to talk about each of the pairings and selections.
Like the film, which many celebrity chefs call a cultural milestone, the evening is an all night feast. In the film not all goes as planned, but in Walusis’ capable hands, this meal is sure to.
Here’s the menu that will be served at the event:
Antipasto: Charcuterie platter
Primo: Risotto
Secondo: The Timpano showstopper — an indescribably delicious pasta crust overstuffed with “the most important things in the world”
Formaggi e Frutta: Fruit and cheese course.
Dolce: An almond cake dusted with powdered sugar, toasted almonds, a schmear of chocolate budino and candied orange peel.
Digestivo: A select liqueur. In years past they have offered Limoncello or Sambuca
This dinner is a complete food experience. They are expecting to sell out, and are pre-selling tickets. The meal will be served banquet style, just like in the movie, so private tables will not be available.
If you’ve never had Timpano it is worth seeking out and the restaurant says this has been the most popular dinner they have ever put on. Once you have a slice of that Timpano it will be clear just why that is.
DAYTON EATS runs Sundays in the Life & Arts section of the Dayton Daily News and features the latest on menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes, and food adventures. Contact Contributing Writer Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com.
How to go
What: Watermark’s Big Night five-course dinner menu with wine pairings
When: 6 p.m. Nov. 5, a cash bar will be available from 5:30-6 p.m.
Where: 20 S. 1st Street, Miamisburg
Cost: $135 per person
More information: https://eatdrinkwatermark.com
Interested in learning a bit more about the movie (and the food)?
Bon Appétit interviews the Big Night cast: www.bonappetit.com/people/celebrities/article/big-night-movie-cast-food-interviews
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