Tradition is the first word that comes to mind when describing La Luna Rossa’s quaint space and service. Greeted by not one but two professionally attired gentlemen servers at this little Italian restaurant in the city’s northwest we were escorted to our table where my chair was pulled out and my jacket gently removed. (Note: Not by my boyfriend.)
Comfortably seated we took in the old-school mural on the back wall depicting an Italian vista along with a hodge-podge of ornate décor. Ambience aside we felt welcome and relaxed with a glass of the house red Ca Donini Merlot ($7.95).
We started with the bruschetta ($6.75). Bursting with fresh flavour the simple starter featured fragrant olive oil fresh tomatoes and the perfect amount of garlic atop a crisp baguette. It was a lovely beginning to a great meal.
Our next dish was the Caprese ($15.25). Served in the style of an antipasto platter the dish consisted of juicy tomatoes topped with bocconcini aromatic basil and slices of perfect prosciutto. We loved it — the quality ingredients made this traditional favourite even better.
For his main dish my boyfriend had the butternut squash ravioli topped with pancetta ($21.95). Rich and buttery the pasta pockets melted in our mouths with crisp smoky pancetta and savoury sage.
I chose the classic chicken parmigiana ($26.95). The plump and juicy chicken breast was topped with mozzarella and parmigiano in a pool of tomato sauce — another hit.
Wanting to sample more from the restaurant’s selection of pasta dishes I opted for a side of homemade rigatoni and marinara sauce ($7.95). The rigatoni was absolutely wonderful and a great companion to the decadently cheesy chicken dish.
Even though we were about to burst we went for it and had dessert. We shared the crème brûlée ($7.95) and dark chocolate gelato ($7.50). The crème brûlée was delectable though I would have preferred the sugar topping slightly more caramelized. The custard topped with soft chocolate was creamy and light. The dark chocolate gelato was also nice — moulded into an outer shell of chocolate it was creamy with a dark chocolate centre.
If you’re looking for a traditional Italian meal with a great selection of Italian wines La Luna Rossa is an excellent option. My only complaint would fall with the room itself; the space could use an update if only to complement the exceptional food being served.
