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| - We came here with friends on a Friday night and I have no idea why there wasn't a long line out the door. Not only was it not crowded, it was almost empty. How does a restaurant serving food this good not have more customers? Step it up people!
First, we all ordered the mushroom bisque and it was delicious. The bisque was thick and creamy, with precisely the texture one would expect when eating something as nutty and savory as a mushroom. I also had the Maple Manhattan cocktail which was fantastic. They serve it with maple cotton candy and then pour the Manhattan over the top. I had low expectations for the cocktails here and was surprised to have something so creative and tasty at an Italian restaurant.
We ordered the Mozzarella Di Bufala, Roasted Brussel Sprout, Chilli Marmalade for the table. The mozzarella was imported, and I was immediately struck by how much it tasted like the Mozzarella we had sampled in Tuscany. The chilli marmalade blended perfectly with the slightly sweetened roasted brussel sprouts and the salty mozzarella.
I ordered the Penne Alla Russa, Smoked Salmon, Asparagus in a Vodka Sauce and Caviar. The dish was superb, and it was about as authentic an Italian dish as I've ever had at a restaurant in the United States. The sauce was thick and creamy, and the flavor blended beautifully with the caviar. The asparagus was just a bit crispy, creating a contrast in texture to penne, caviar, and salmon. The only thing I would change about this dish would be to have more salmon.
My wife had the Risotto Porcini, Saffron risotto, with creamy porcini sauce finished with truffle oil. She is a risotto fiend, and she really enjoyed this dish. It has all of her favorite things: risotto, mushrooms, and truffle (oil). I had some of the risotto and was immediately reminded of a similar dish we shared at a fancy restaurant on the coast of South Africa. Well done chef!
We finished the evening with a chocolate fudge cake and the Traditional Tiramisu. The fudge cake was exceptional and right in line with everything else on order that evening. Our friends ordered the Tiramisu, but they said that they really enjoyed it.
We will absolutely be back here again! We have struggled to find a good Italian restaurant that we would like to frequent in the area, and La Locanda fits the bill perfectly.
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