I first found this gem of a restaurant a couple weeks ago by searching for the best tiramisu in Phoenix. Forno came up as the top result so I decided to call ahead to ensure they had some as it was late on a Sunday evening. I spoke with Luca and he teased that I would have to order 10 tiramisu if I wanted them to go. I arrived and was quickly greeted. I ordered 2 tiramisu and Luca came out from the kitchen to introduce himself. We chatted as I admired the outstanding atmosphere and learned a little about their past location and their upcoming plans for expansion. Luca described how fresh their ingredients are and that all pasta is made in house. He asked me to come back for a meal to which I assured him I would. I got home and had one of the desserts and found it to be quite delicious and incredibly balanced both in flavors and proportion of ingredients. I called to thank Luca and to compliment them on the dessert. He was incredibly humble and insisted that I come and see him again.
Fast forward to last night. I went in with my roommate to have dinner around 630 on a Monday night. There was a constant stream of patrons, not too many that made it cramped and uncomfortable, but in an inviting way that compliments the atmosphere. We were seated right away and had our drink orders taken almost immediately. The menu does not have a large number of dishes on it, but enough to provide variety and helps order more decisively because you aren't trying to choose from 100 things. We ordered the prosciutto bruschetta with fig jam as an appetizer. We were at a table that allowed us to see into the kitchen a bit, right where the meat slicer sits which allowed us to marvel at the beautiful slices that were shaved from the ham for our appetizer. I ordered the cavatelli special which was stuffed with cheese, topped in a cream sauce with a line of bolognese across the top that ran perpendicular to the shells. The house made pasta was so light and delicate that it virtually melted in my mouth as I savored the way the bolognese sauce added a slight acidic tang to the delicate cream sauce. My roommate had ordered the prosciutto pizza with basil and fresh mozzarella which came out with a beautiful char to the crust without being burnt. We decided to try a couple of the desserts and ordered the creme brulee which has a hint of lemon that lets you know its there without overpowering the flavor of the shell or custard, the caramel gelato and a tiramisu. All three were fantastic and i sent my compliments to the chef through our server.
Luca came out and thanked me for coming back and introduced himself to my roommate. He told us to come back to try the ravioli as they normally serve a cheese and spinach version but will occasionally do a shrimp stuffed ravioli and on special occasions a filet mignon ravioli. I asked when and he offered to take my number and let me know ahead of time so that I can plan to come in to try it. As i was preparing to have my lunch today I received a text from Luca thanking me for coming in and letting me know he will contact me when they plan on making the filet ravioli.
This has been the best eating experience I have had in Arizona since I moved here in 2010. The casual atmosphere is spot on, it lends to the business professionals who come in after work downtown, couples, families and its patrons who may be in jeans and a t-shirt without making you feel like you are over or under dressed. The food is phenomenal and their genuine appreciation for their customers exceeds expectation. I plan on going back again this week, even if its to have a Peroni or glass of wine to end a long day at work.