31 Aug 2011

A Taste of Lavagna

Photo by Liz Festa, who gave Lavagna a dose of Mazel Tov

Last week, post earthquake, fellow THIHer Liz Festa and I were lucky enough to attend an event at one of Barracks Row’s newest restaurants, Lavagna, and try a few of their dishes. Owner Stephen Cheung, also of Fusion Grill, is very excited about his newest restaurant and wanted to introduce a few key items of the restaurant’s menu, which I am sharing here with you.

The evening included a selection of two cocktails that showcase the house’s creativity– the Gli Angele Margarita (a.k.a. the Angels’ Margarita) and the eponymous Lavagna.  The first drink is refreshing and crisp, but a little cognitively dissonant: a margarita is not the first drink one associates with an Italian restaurant, even if your tequila is basil-infused.  That qualm aside, the drink tastes of a slightly naughty summer lemonade, and the tequila’s salty notes are given an edge by the basil; although I just have to wonder if another spirit would benefit more from a basil infusion and give the drink a more Italianate character.  How about grappa?

The Lavagna– a Cosmopolitan-style drink– has a beautiful raspberry tone and cheerfully employs the seasonal berry as its main note.  It’s tasty and fun without being too girly.  All drinks come in Lavagna’s beautifully etched glasses, which tone down the frill, anyway; but some people take comfort in knowing that their drink will not look overly precious in their hands.  Lavagna is also stocked with an impressive selection of Italian wines from different producing regions in Italy, which are helpfully labeled at the chalkboard above the bar.  I tried a really good, bright Montepulciano D’Abruzzio that seemed to pair especially well with the meatballs (ah, meatballs); Liz favored a citrusy white that worked well with the pear in the gnocchi.

As for the bites, I tried their meatballs; a pasta dish with chicken; and their gnocchi with pear and gorgonzola.  The meatballs were generous and juicy: a well-prepared standard.  The pasta, which is made in-house (and which you can make with children next door at the Playseum), is al dente and delightful to bite into– the freshness really comes through; however the sauce in which it was served was a little on the heavy side for summertime.  The gnocchi had a very delicate and creamy potato taste which was excellent, but the dish could have used more cheese and pears to balance the heaviness of the gnocchi.  Overall, however, Lavagna promises a good dining experience, thanks to the gracious attention and flexibility of the staff, starting with Cheung.  Everyone to whom we spoke was polite, friendly and knowledgeable of the place; and the bartender, Nicole, took especially good care of us.

Since Lavagna prides itself in being child-friendly, this is a must-try with little ones.  I hope to be back soon, myself.  If you want to try Lavagna, today is a great day to do so, as they are having a Facebook/Twitter special: take 25% off your check if you mention either of the social media outlets, between 4 and 6 pm.  (If you should mention The Hill is Home when you claim your discount, you will also have our undying writerly appreciation, by the way.)

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2 responses to “A Taste of Lavagna”

  1. Anonymous says:

    I can second (or third?) the promise of Lavagna. I ate there a couple weekends ago with my 3-year old, and the staff was helpful and friendly. There is a kids menu, and I was told they may even do half portions for kids off the regular menu.

    The parmesan calimari is quite addictive…

  2. Anonymous says:

    The meatballs were delicious. We went there on Earthquake Day and I broke my glass before I had even had a sip of the raspberry cosmo. The wooden bar is slightly warped from a staining process, I was told, and sloped down to the floor, barstool-side, a treacherous path when mixed with cold drink condensation and a smooth surface. But the lovely bartender Nicole quickly made another one–bringing the earthquake damage at Lavagna to three glasses, I heard.

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