Michelle T.
Yelp
Great food, nice vibe. Parking can be a bit of a challenge if you look on Laurel, but we always just park a few blocks away and enjoy the walk. Went for dinner on a Tuesday night this time.
1. Polpo alla griglia. Octopus was firm but tender, good flavor, with a nice sauce. Accompanying salad was good. There was a little bit of slimy part on the octopus, but otherwise this was good.
2. Nectarine salad. Arugula, thinly-sliced nectarine, mild goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, perfectly dressed in just the right amount of dressing (lemon honey thyme citronette). Absolutely fabulous! One of the best salads I've ever had. Light, refreshing contrast between the sweet fruit, the peppery arugula, the creamy and mild goat cheese, crunchy seeds, and delicious dressing.
3. Bufalina pizza. Print menu says bufala, basil, tomato sauce, parmesan (although I didn't notice any parmesan, and I prefer just mozzarella anyway--online menu doesn't list parmesan). Excellent neapolitan crust, thin in the middle and puffy on the edges, good chew, slight char in spots, nice flavor/texture from proper fermentation and baking. Another reviewer didn't like that the toppings fell off the crust and that the edges were slightly charred, but that's how a good neapoltan pizza is supposed to be, and I prefer this style to the typical American pizza that has a thick, heavy crust, is underbaked, and has not had proper fermentation and baking to develop the flavors and textures.
4. Limoncello cake. The print menu called it "limoncello cake" (but I don't think it actually had any limoncello in it, and the online menu calls it "lemon cake"): sponge cake and mascarpone "infused" with Sicilian lemon, white chocolate shavings, blueberry sauce. Deliciously light, fruity, and creamy.
5. Panna cotta. We didn't have this on the most recent trip, but at our previous trip a year ago. This was a disappointment. Panna cotta should be a delicate custard, but this was very heavy and thick, requiring you to really dig with your spoon. The taste was fine, but the texture was too, too thick.
6. Pizza vegana. Another one that we didn't have on our most recent trip but during our previous trip. This was ok, would rather stick to bufalina!
We also had a bottle of still water, and while the water was good, we found out later that it costs $8! Just be aware.
Service was great, and the ambiance is a little fancy but still casual and relaxed.
Overall, we really enjoy this place, and it has The Italian's stamp of approval.