When I tell you Italian is my jam, it’s my jam. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Italy a few months ago and really exploring the cuisine there. There’s quite a difference between American Italian cuisine and actual Italian. In Italy, they focus a lot of fresh, bright and simple flavors. A few months ago, Modena opened in Greenville. Formely Mountain View Brasserie, this restaurant is owned by the lovely couple Danielle Corellis and Todd Graves. Danielle has a background at Cafe Capriccio, the popular authentic Italian restaurant in Downtown Albany. She executed many roles there, specializing specifically in pastries. Her husband Todd might be well known to most serving as the executive chef of Cafe Italia. Upon entering, the restaurant is stunning. They did an amazing job transforming it into a contemporary Italian restaurant. With dark wood accents, and subtle sage green hues, it really is beautiful. The atmosphere is warm, inviting and perfect for a date night or special occasion. The wine list is extensive, specializing specifically in beautiful Italian wines you won’t find elsewhere. It’s a nice mixture of familiar favorites, and also Italian classics. It’s a very well-versed menu created as a collaboration between the owners, Jonathan Stewart of Frederick Wildman and Breeda Phoummany from Santa Margarita. We opted for the Pinot Noir as a light start, then the 20 Rows Cabernet, which is in my opinion one of the best Napa Valley Cabs. It’s buttery, velvety and rich in flavor. The menu itself is small, which is a wonderful sign in my opinion. That means they’re really focusing on the dishes they’re offering. They are sourcing local from surrounding farms, and getting ingredients imported right from Italy. Tomatoes are something that you could deem as so simple, but as a true foodie, you know there’s a difference. Modena cuts no corners. They’re bringing in San Marzano tomatoes for their sauces, and local fresh heirlooms for their bruschetta. For starters, we chose the bruschetta. The bread was soft, yet had a perfect crunch. The bruschetta was sweet, balanced and delicious. They really left the flavor of the tomatoes shine through. For entrees, we opted for the two specials of the evening: the Chilean Sea Bass served francese style over sautéed spinach and the Eggplant layered with four cheeses — the gorgonzola added a nutty and sour flavor that complemented the richness perfectly. We also split a half order of Pomodoro Basilico which was housemade tagliatelle, San Marzano tomato sauce, EVOO, garlic, basil, parmigiano. I just need to mention the homemade pasta again. Cooked a perfect al dente, the sauce was bright, acidic and absolutely delicious. How a real Italian red sauce should be. With Danielle’s background in pastry, of course we needed to order dessert. A slice of Ricotta Pie AKA Italian Cheesecake and Tiramisu were the most delicious sweet ending of the night. The ricotta pie had notes of orange zest and cinnamon which was bright and light, and the tiramisu was simply decedent and creamy. Overall, the experience was flawless. The food was impeccable, the atmosphere was inviting, and the service was great. Make the trip to Modena.

The Hedge Bistro is planning for their grand opening on April 1st at the Western Turnpike golf course in Guilderland. They will offer American pub fare and classic Italian dishes.