This restaurant was recommended to us by the owner of the small hotel where we stayed in Lucca. She told us that it is where she likes to eat as it is out of the usual tourist areas.
The thing we liked best about this restaurant was that they took traditional dishes and slightly twisted them in new directions. After a couple of weeks of very similar classical Italian meals, it was a great pleasure to see some creative variations.
We arrived just as the evening rush was starting about 7:30pm. We choose a table under the huge umbrellas. Our server was very friendly and very patient with our slow decision making despite facing the onslaught of suddenly full tables.
I started with a negroni and my wife with a glass of the house red which we shared the leek souffle. The souffle was hot in a ramekin with a delicate cold sauce on the plate around the ramekin. Light delicious, and very leeky.
I switched to the house white and had the pear and mint ravioli which was served on a delicate sauce of blue cheese with some pine nuts. Very delicate flavors and quite delicious.
My wife had the cacao gnocchi. I know, sounds weird, but it was quite delicious with a mild cocoa flavor and a mild cheese sauce.
We shared a secondi the branzino filet. Delicious flames, but perhaps lacking in texture. Both the first and the accompanying mushrooms were very soft. The branzino was wrapped in lardo which also was quite soft. Yummy.
We finished off with a shared lavender cream beautifully plated with a dusting of cocoa and a mint leaf. It was very firm with a distinct lavender aroma and flavor.
A little limocello and a surprisingly reasonable bill and we were on our way. read more