Grilled Octopus Salad

A while back, I was given the opportunity to visit Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Davio’s has been a staple in the Philadelphia food scene for a while now. Located in Rittenhouse Square, Davio’s still seems to be a bit of a hidden gem due to it’s location on the second floor of a building, although it isn’t difficult to find (the entrance on 17th Street is clearly marked).

The restaurant is known just as much for it’s service and ambiance as it is it’s delicious food. The staff really know how to make your night feel special. The dining room’s large windows and tall ceilings add to the traditional and comfortable feel of the restaurant — it is located in the historic Provident Bank Building. The space is also equipped with a bar that I hear is quite a popular destination for happy hour.

 

My entire meal was absolutely delicious. Every dish seemed to be better than the last! I have included a run down of everything we ate (we basically needed to be rolled out of the building) and I also wanted to try my hand at one of the specials they were serving that night: A Grilled Octopus Salad over Arugula.

My version is heavily based on Davio’s with a few changes: Davio’s also included chorizo in their version (yum!) and used yellow peppers rather than red. This was my first time working with octopus so it was a little nerve wracking but turned out amazing!

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4 lb octopus, cleaned
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 3 tablespoons whole peppercorns
• 2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 halved
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers
• salt and pepper, to taste

Octopus typically comes frozen and already cleaned (whew). Be sure to thaw the octopus in your refrigerator overnight before making this recipe.

Add the octopus to a large pot. Pour in the wine, peppercorns, capers, sliced lemon, garlic cloves, and thyme.

Fill with water until the octopus is submerged (it may keep trying to float to the surface. If this happens, that’s fine) and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the octopus is tender. (Pierce the part where the legs attach to the body. If it pierces easily it is done). This can take around 1 hour. The octopus will become a purple color.

Drain and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat your grill on high heat. Spray the grates with cooking spray. While waiting for the grill to preheat, drizzle the octopus with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the octopus to the grill and cook until slightly charred and crispy, about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove from grill and cut off the legs.

Add the halved lemon to the grill, cut side down, for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.

Add the arugula to a large bowl with the chopped roasted red pepper. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Add the tentacles to the salad along with the grilled lemon halves.

Squeeze the lemon halves over the salad before eating.

Mmm. Grilled octopus is one of my absolute favorite dishes to order out so I’m so excited with how this turned out. And it was easier than I expected!

Yes, it takes some time to make but it’s well worth it. The charring on the octopus adds the perfect amount of crunch while the octopus stays nice and tender.

Arugula has a bit of a spiciness to it that works really well with octopus and the roasted red peppers balanced it all out with a touch of sweetness.

So what else did I get to enjoy at my dinner at Davio’s?

• Hand-Rolled Potato Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms, Truffle Oil — this is not to be missed! Their gnocchi is top notch. They are little pillows of deliciousness.
• Sautéed Veal Tenderloin, Prosciutto, Polenta, Porcini Mushrooms, Marsala Sauce — my boyfriend got this and resisted even giving me a bite because he loved it so much. The veal was cooked perfectly and the sauce was fantastic.
• Jail Island Salmon, Baby Spinach, Tuscan Kale, Dandelion Greens, Farro, Lavender Honey — It’s like they designed a dish just for me! Every component was cooked perfectly. The lavender honey was a delicious and unexpected boost of flavor.
• Bellini Martini (Absolut peach vodka, val doca prosecco, orange juice, fees peach bitters) — this is kind of a signature drink at Davio’s and I now know why! I typically am not thrilled with bellinis but the ratio of prosecco to orange juice was spot on!
• Chocolate Chip Cheesecake — this dessert is inspired by cannolis, so you end up with a deconstructed cannoli. And it’s absolutely delicious. We tried to refuse dessert but once this came out, we cleaned off the plate! I especially loved the chocolate covered espresso beans served with it.

 

Many thanks to the wonderful staff at Davio’s for a truly delicious meal and impeccable service!