I sometimes wonder how a new restaurant gets a name like Carpaccio. Do the owners sit around and brainstorm and end up choosing it because it sounds interesting and Italian and most people don't know what carpaccio is anyway?
Certainly carpaccio (originally thin shavings of raw beef) is featured on the menu - actually six different carpacci - and very good carpaccio it is, judging from the one we sampled. But Annapolis' newest Italian restaurant has a huge menu, with everything from pizza to Tuscan-style steaks on it. You could just as easily call the place Risotto or Antipasto.
Carpaccio is in the huge new Park Plaza complex, which has condos, a hotel, shopping and several eating places. The restaurant's location gives it the feel of an upscale chain; but it's actually part of a local restaurant group that includes several more casual eating places, such as Sazzio, Squisito's and Pomo Grille. This is the group's crown jewel, a large, glossy, handsome restaurant with good food and a decent list of mostly Italian and Californian wines. It seems to be an instant hit, and the fact that it's not hugely expensive must be one reason why.
Carpaccio's dining room is so big and crowded (it seats 150) you know it's going to be noisy, but it's not as bad as a contemporary dining room can be. There are acoustical ceiling tiles and some fabric. The booths are comfortable, and the gold, brown and terra cotta color scheme with wood and decorative tile give the place a Mediterranean feel. It's somewhat impersonal, but the friendly staff make up for that.
If I went again, I'd stick to the first courses and try the pizza. We shared the carpaccio di manzo parma and a Tuscan Market Platter to begin. With bread and wine, we could barely make it through two more courses.
The tissue-thin slices of filet mignon were overlapped around a center of arugula with capers, shavings of parmesan and a drizzle of aioli. You can also get a second beef carpaccio with mushrooms and truffle oil, a tuna carpaccio with avocado, and three other variations.
The market platter had cured meats (salami, prosciutto, mortadella) along one side and Italian cheeses along the other. In the center were artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, olives, eggplant and mushrooms. You can't help but eat the restaurant's good bread with these, so a salad is probably all you'll need afterward.
