We received a call from K asking if we had any plans for dinner last Saturday. Nope. "How about La Cucina"? Sure. Of course, I immediately visited their website along with the latest Yelp reviews. For the most part, diners enjoyed the food but since was a two person operation, the food arrived at a slower pace. There was also no mention of allowing BYOB and they did have their liquor license. Well low and behold, they were pretty much booked for the evening so K's alternate suggestion was Mediterraneo. We always saw the neon sign as we headed to Cafe Sistina's parking lot but never dined there. Another oops, reservations only taken for parties of 6 or more but since the owner knew K, she said he assured us that seating wouldn't be a problem at 6:30pm. When we arrived at 6:10pm, the place already looked fully booked with one couple already waiting and no, K's name wasn't on the reservation list. Should we perchance Cafe Sistina or perhaps Hiroshi's. As it turned out when K arrived at 6:30, there was only another 10 minute wait or so. So I ordered a bottle of 2011 Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($35) though I initially ordered a Riserva Chianti but they were out so our server suggested this bottle.
I knew I wanted to sample the Porcini Crostini ($10). Very mushroomy but more button and crimini flavor than porcini covering a slice of mozzarella.
And the Mrs wanted to sample the house made pasta so she selected the Strangola Preti with house made sausage and mushrooms ($17) to start. Very good pasta with good sausage. It's strange that it weeped reddish colored oil almost the way chorizo bleeds red oil. I thought it might be either sun dried tomato oil or red pepper oil but it didn't have a pronounced flavor so I guess the Chef uses paprika in his sausage.
I'm not sure if the servers were frazzled or if Chef Favale was cookin' at the speed of light but our entrees were tabled first including K's Pollo Porcini ($20). Lots of cubed chicken though this dish didn't come with any starch so order a starch if you need the usual protein and starch combination.
The Mrs' Lamb Ciociara ($25). Very tender cubes of lamb that were added to the sauce since they were cooked medium rare. If it was stewed it would have been well done but once again, there was no starch with the dish.
And my Osso Buco with a side of Risotto Norcina with house made sausage ($25). It wasn't fallin' off the bone, it FELL of the bone. Good flavor and very tender and in my case, it did include a starch. One of my favorite starches to boot, risotto!
We also uncorked a bottle of 2007 Domaine Rostaing Les Le'zandes Syrah ($20 corkage)
Despite the large portions, the girls still had room for dessert so we ordered the Tiramisu which was perfectly soaked and flavored.
The Amaretto Cake. I think I enjoyed this more than the tiramisu and I love coffee flavored desserts.
And the Gianduja Gelato. I'm not a big desset eater but when I see gianduja (think Nutella), I gotta sample it. And this one didn't disappoint. Think and rich and chocolatey!
Looking back on the whole web experience looking at both the La Cucina and Mediterraneo sites, it's strange that they have virtually the same menu. You know that any Italian restaurant will have marinara sauces so no one is copying another. But when two restaurants have house made squid ink ravioli filled with lobster in a saffron cream sauce... or Crostini Porcini. And if you look at the photo page on Yelp for Mediterraneo, there's actually a picture of Don Truong as chef, waiter, chief bottle washer who now happens to be the owner/chef of La Cucina. Is this another Castagnola's in the making? In any case the food (especially the desserts) is very good and I love the homey atmosphere so we'll probably be back (I want to sample Chef Favale's house made gnocchi) though we'll probably try to arrive when they open at 5:30pm so we're assured a table.
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