Where little pigs play & diners enjoy Northern Italian fare
Written: Jul 04 '00 (Updated Mar 25 '08)
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Pros: Delicious Italian fare, moderately priced, relaxing
Cons: Understaffed that night, a little louder than expected
The Bottom Line: Stop by here for a relaxing and satisfying Northern Italian meal without the pretension or tourists of the places closer to Downtown.
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| smiles33's Full Review: Laghi |
Located on a nondescript corner in "Lower Pacific Heights" (according to Zagat) or Western Addition/Japantown (according to what I thought), Laghi is a wonderful little restaurant that was just perfect for a recent after-work dinner. My boyfriend, brace33, had invited me to dinner to celebrate his last day of dental school, but I was pretty tired from work so we chose this neighborhood restaurant and were pleasantly surprised.
The aforementioned piggies are part of the delightful collection of pigs on a small table in the front lobby area--the first thing I noticed. Piggy banks, clay & porcelain figurines, as well as a pig portrait near the restrooms, are the unexpected accents in this otherwise modern/trendy restaurant.
Unlike some of the flashier restaurants in the City like Farallon, Laghi has a sleek and simple décor, totally underrated by Zagat's diners (who only gave it a 16!). There is a nice bar that wraps around in a square formation, where I saw a single diner reading a book over her dinner. And I liked the nice "openness" of the somewhat high ceilings. Yet I can imagine how loud it would be were the place totally filled to capacity. Even with just a few other tables filled, the place seemed to echo a bit.
In addition, the kitchen is open to the main dining area, further adding to the noise. But perhaps they try to compensate by playing Italian music in the background, which sets the perfect scene for an intimate dinner or even a relaxing after-work dinner while dining solo.
This is the kind of place I like for a relaxing dinner, where it's not too loud, but not so refined and quiet that I must be "on my best behavior." But that's not to say that the place is suitable for children, as I think that most children under 10 would find it boring and the food a little too sophisticated. Still, I'm sure one can find something on the menu for a child. After all, this restaurant is located in a mostly residential section (and within walking distance of Pacific Heights) and parents can't just leave the kids at home all the time.
Getting down to the heart of this review: The Food!
I was surprised to find both a small serving of coleslaw & foccacia bread offered as "appetizers" while we browsed the menu. I enjoyed the foccacia with a healthy dipping in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but I really liked the crunchy and flavorful coleslaw. I was tempted to ask for a second serving of the coleslaw, but the appetizers caught my eye first!
You are reading an epinion by SMILES33. If it appears under a different name, it has been plagiarized! Please report it to Epinions and also let me know by sending email to smilesesq@yahoo.com. Thank you!
I love calamari and I love spinach salad, but we decided to choose just one appetizer to share so we could fully enjoy the entrée and dessert as well. The spinach salad, the risotto, and the foie gras were all quite tempting, but the fritturina mareterra was the final winner--calamari and julienned zucchini, fried and tossed with garlic butter. Oh, just reminiscing about the delicious, tangy appetizer is making my mouth water! And considering the portion size, it was an affordable $7 appetizer as well!
As for the main courses, we were informed that it takes 25 minutes for all entrees except for pasta. I ordered the costata d'agnello alla mentuccia (full rack of lamb roasted in red wine and fresh mint) for $23. But not before hesitating over the filleto di maiale del buon ricordo (pork tenderloin wrapped in grape leaves and baked with truffled pecorino cheese for $16.50), as well as the anitroccola del duca di mantova (breast of duckling pan-roasted in red wine with blueberries and with sweet potato gnocchi for $17.50). My boyfriend ordered the daily special, quail, a sirloin steak wrapped in sage and bacon, and homemade sausage for $17.
We were quite satisfied by the delicious entrees, but thought we should at least share a dessert--for the sake of our Epinions review, of course! So we indulged in the Bacione Nocciola (hazelnut ice cream in a chocolate cup with nutella cream) for $5.50. It was a delicious treat--quite unusual compared to my regular choice of dessert, crème brulee.
The only drawbacks are that the service was slow, even for small things like our initial request for balsamic vinegar for the foccacia. Why? Because there was only one waiter and one busboy for the entire restaurant. This is a moderately-sized restaurant, so I'm sure one waiter and one busboy would be sufficient on slow nights, but it was not enough on the night we were there. Still, I was sufficiently pleased, and intrigued, to return to try some of the other entrees!
P.S. The website is a little outdated (the prices are lower!), but check it out to see photos of the restaurant and some of the entrees! http://bayarea.citysearch.com/E/V/SFOCA/0002/81/10/1.html
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Laghi Centro Culinario Romagnolo il Passatoro
2101 Sutter St. (near Steiner)
415-931-3374
There is valet if you're not willing to round the block a few times, but there's usually parking on Post St.
NOTE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED!
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Start off with the calamari--you won''t regret it!
Best Suited For: Friends
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