We finally made it over to I Pazzi, which has taken over the location where Lucciano's used to be. We loved Lucciano's and were saddened when we found out it closed, but I'm very pleased to report that I Pazzi is every bit as good, if not even better.
I Pazzi is upscale Italian Mediterranean dining, so it's not cheap and you won't get mammoth portions as you would at a Cheesecake Factory, just to be clear. If you're the kind of person that likes to go out to eat with the expectation of bringing home two meals worth of leftovers, this place will not be for you.
After we were seated, our waitress brought out some warm bread and then prepared for each of us table side individual servings of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, grated Parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper for dipping the bread. That was a nice touch and it was very, very good. I try to refrain from eating the bread that is served, but I had a difficult time restraining myself.
Since we devoured the bread, we passed on the appetizers and went straight for entrees.
I ordered a Ciopinno seafood soup to go with my entree of Ahi Tuna Alla Mostarda (Ahi Tuna steak sliced over a bed of arugula lettuce and topped with a reduction of tarragon, shallots, Dijon mustard, and white wine sauce). The sushi-grade tuna was seared and served rare (my request, but I'm guessing it would have been served that way anyway, but I didn't want to take any chances). The Ciopinno had shrimp, clams, mussels, and calamari in a flavorful tomato based broth. I loved both. They were perfectly seasoned, letting the flavors of the fresh ingredients shine. The food was not super salty as you'd get at the chain restaurants. (Thank goodness.)
My wife and my son both ordered specials not on the regular menu, with the wife getting a Chilean Sea Bass dish and the son getting a Grilled Rack of Lamb Chop dish. The lamb chops were cooked perfectly medium-rare as requested, served with asparagus and mashed potatoes. I don't remember exactly what sauce was served with the lamb, but it matched really well with the lamb. The Chilean Sea Bass was served with a medley of clams, mussels, shrimp, and asparagus. After getting a little taste of each of their dishes, I definitely would order those in the future.
We were stuffed come time for dessert, but next time we'll have to make a more conscious effort to hold back on the bread to leave some room. The manager told us that all the desserts are handmade, including chocolate mousse, flan, and tiramisu. We desperately wanted to try something but we were genuinely too full.
We were very pleased with our first visit to I Pazzi and are looking forward to a return visit. My mourning period over losing Lucciano's is now officially over. read more