I stopped into the restaurant for a glass of wine and a visit with owner Lisa Vanderwege to talk to her about holiday entertaining and party platters. She and Chef Susan Conn prepared some wonderful appetizers for me to sample, each one meticulously prepared and beautifully presented. Serving Amelia for over ten years, Gourmet Gourmet is a wonderful gourmet specialty shop and restaurant that serves great meals and has a fabulous wine selection. I began my foray into appetizer heaven with a glass of Maso Poli Trentino Pinot Grigio, a refreshing white wine.

My first appetizer was Granny Smith apple slices topped with Stilton cheese and pecans. This is a scrumptious and elegantly simple dish that is great for a wine and cheese party. My next tasting was Coconut Shrimp with a sweet chili sauce. The shrimp were crunchy on the outside, tender, and perfectly cooked, with a wonderful sweet sauce that Gourmet Gourmet also sells in the shop.

My next appetizer was the Antipasto Platter, which had all sorts of goodies on it: breadsticks wrapped with Mortadella, stuffed cherry peppers, Capicolla-wrapped asparagus spears, two varieties of salami, gherkins, and crostini. This platter can be prepared for any number of people. In fact, Gourmet Gourmet offers all their appetizers and catering items to be purchased by the piece, so if you want a selection of goodies, even for just two or three people, they are happy to oblige.

Chef Conn brought out some miniature crab cakes with a homemade remoulade sauce that were loaded with fresh crabmeat and just fabulous. Then I sampled their cheese selection, with imported and domestic choices, including Brie, Manchego, and Cheddar, served with fresh fruit and garnished with candied walnuts. I was happy to learn that Gourmet Gourmet has a great cheese selection, perfect for holiday entertaining and also for gift-giving.

I also got to taste their Pork Tenderloin topped with an apple pear chutney, which is a really wonderful way to serve pork. It was very tender and moist. My absolute favorite appetizer, however, was the Spanakopita with Lobster, delicate filo pastry stuffed with lobster that was so delicious that I had to eat every morsel!

One thing I discovered about Gourmet Gourmet is that you don’t have to order platters far ahead of time: all the goodies on their catering menu can be prepared while you wait, for any amount of guests. That’s a plus if you have unexpected guests dropping by for some holiday cheer. The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with brunch on Sundays, and offers catering for any occasion, including gourmet box lunches, special gift baskets, and everything you need to make your holidays less hectic—and definitely more delicious!