. . "2015-04-05T00:00:00"^^ . "0"^^ . "0"^^ . "Holy cannoli. No, really. HOLY CANNOLI.\n\nBut I'll get to dessert in a sec.\n\nMy kids and I visited Lidia's the night before Easter and were blown away by everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food.\n\nOur server, Becky, was hilarious and bent over backward to meet our every need. BIG plus.\n\nWe started with drinks--the kids with Lidia's Italian sodas (vanilla cream and blackberry sage) and I with an orange Manhattan. I'd substitute another bourbon for Maker's next time, but it was reallllly good. \n\nWhile we waited for the appetizer course, we were offered a selection of fresh-baked breads (grissini with grana padano, focaccia, and a sturdy Tuscan bread), served with kalamata olive-cannellini bean and basil pesto spreads. SO good. \n\nOur first course was Burrata with broccoli rabe, olive oil, and grilled bread. The Flavors were bright, fresh, and fabulous.\n\nMy daughter got the pasta trio (a solid choice in my estimation), which included penne with sausage and caramelized onions, ravioli with thyme-butter sauce, and fettuccine with basil pesto. YUM.\n\nMy son went with house garganelli pasta, lemon garlic cream, crispy fried shrimps, chives, toasted pine nuts. Holy CATS, it was good.\n\nI had gnocchi with braised duck ragu. It was to DIE for.\n\nDessert featured tiramisu, Nutella budino with candied hazelnuts, and Zuppa Inglese which was a crazy good melange of amaretto-soaked sponge cake, pastry cream and pistachio cream with raspberry sorbetto, lemon custard sauce, fresh raspberries and candied almonds. There is a God, clearly.\n\nWe had a GREAT time. Lots of jokes and smiles from the wait staff, a relaxed atmosphere, and FANTASTIC food. Just right. We will definitely be back!"^^ . "4"^^ . "1"^^ . .