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I always enjoy looking at old photographs. They give a sense of how people dressed and how they spent their time. Each morning I see a picture of my maternal grandparents that was taken upon their engagement in 1913.
I thought of my grandparents the minute I peered into the deep, dark eyes of Frank Rocchino, whose photograph is printed on the menu at LaScala’s. Donning a fedora, starched collar and shirt, with a cigar in hand, the young man made me think about his native Italy and his adopted land, America.
Rob LaScala dedicated his new restaurant at 615 Chestnut St. to Frank Rocchino and Charles LaScala — his grandfathers. The hearty fare at this delightful place would probably make them feel at home in the new century.
The first of many pluses at LaScala’s is free parking. All you need to do is get it validated. Inside, there are two dining rooms and a bar dotted with televisions that was packed with happy revelers celebrating the end of the workday. We settled into a cozy booth and discussed the bill of fare. Martinis ($9) were good-sized and nicely mixed.
Our server brought a loaf of warm, seeded bread and uncommonly good homemade focaccia, which was brushed with puréed garlic, fresh herbs and olive oil.
We began dinner with roasted beet salad ($8), Caesar salad ($7) and eggplant rollantini ($8). The salads were large enough for two and served in big, white soup bowls. Sweet, fresh beets were roasted, cooled and cut into bite-size cubes. They were tossed with a mound of fresh greens, marinated asparagus, toasted walnuts and tangy goat cheese, then bathed in a white-balsamic vinaigrette. The contrasts of tastes and textures got our appetite off to a fine start. We especially liked the asparagus because it added a bit of bite. The balance of olive oil to balsamic was right on the mark.
The Caesar was as tasty as the beet salad, with crisp romaine enhanced by a small toss of homemade baked croutons, fresh Parmesan and creamy homemade dressing.
The eggplant rollantini was disappointing, however. Slices of eggplant were placed in an oval ramekin and layered with ricotta and Parmesan, topped with mozzarella and marinara sauce and then baked. This antipasto was warm outside and cool inside. If the ingredients were made into rolls or stacked, the temperature would have been even. Our server was polite and professional and we were not charged for the dish.
Our hearty entrées were prepared with fresh ingredients. Mom ordered cannelloni ($15), Sandy went for the filet ($22), Edward ordered veal involtini ($17) and I tried the scallops and shrimp ($20). The cannelloni had fresh sheets of egg pasta that were layered with creamy ricotta, strips of chicken breast and cooked spinach. They were rolled and topped with mozzarella and a marinara sauce enhanced by a touch of cream. Two came with the order and one went home to be reheated for lunch.
Sandy’s tender 8-ounce filet arrived medium-grilled in a roasted-shallot Burgundy sauce. Mushrooms were included, along with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, freshly cooked green beans and carrots. (Ask for the vegetables on the side if you don’t want the steak sitting on the potatoes.)
The last time I saw pan-roasted veal bundles on a menu was more than two years ago at Valentino’s on the Square. LaScala’s version consisted of four slices of veal pounded thin and rolled with Proscuitto di Parma, spinach and mozzarella. They were seared then roasted in a delicious fresh-herb-and-port sauce. Edward received the same garlic mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and carrots with his entrée.
Diver scallops are top quality when quickly seared and a sensation in the mouth. The menu stated jumbo shrimp were used in the dish, but they were actually medium-size. Still, I received about five each of the scallops and shrimp, which were grilled and served with a butter sauce laced with garlic and truffle essence. The seafood was a bit translucent inside, which meant it wasn’t a bit overcooked, and came with grilled asparagus and a good-size serving of fresh-herb risotto. Sometimes risotto can be gummy, gluey, bland or too salty. But LaScala’s was perfect: toothsome, yet not raw.
I liked the eye appeal of each dish. My risotto was in the center of a large soup bowl surrounded by the seafood, with the asparagus on the side.
We enjoyed a Chianti with dinner and there are a number of wines in the $18 to $20 range and Bravo! What a refreshing change of pace. Although LaScala’s was busy, service was excellent. The staff has been well trained. They work together and make sure the meal runs smoothly.
Three tips of the toque to LaScala’s.
LaScala’s
615 Chestnut St.
216-928-0900
Credit cards accepted
www.lascalasphilly.com
