49 replies to this topic

[Spiral Stairs]

Mediocre Italian coming to the Hill? It can't possibly be as bad as Alberto's, can it???

At least it's not another peusdo-Mexian-Salvadoran place or another storefront lousy Chinese place.

Jennifer, still bitter about the food on the Hill after all these years.

Locanda may be a step above typical Hill fare. The proprietor is a former manager of Le Paradou. He piped up in a Kliman and/or Sietsema chat, in which he said he aspires to join the ranks of Belga/Sonoma/Montmartre as the "good" restaurants in SE Capitol Hill. (He was proud to say that his restaurant would be located in the "triangle" created by those restaurants.)

He also said the menu will be Italian, with Turkish influences. Let's hope he's found a chef who can pull that off in a way that's not totally contrived.

[youngfood]

Locanda may be a step above typical Hill fare. The proprietor is a former manager of Le Paradou. He piped up in a Kliman and/or Sietsema chat, in which he said he aspires to join the ranks of Belga/Sonoma/Montmartre as the "good" restaurants in SE Capitol Hill. (He was proud to say that his restaurant would be located in the "triangle" created by those restaurants.)

He also said the menu will be Italian, with Turkish influences. Let's hope he's found a chef who can pull that off in a way that's not totally contrived.

Has anyone heard anything about this place? Its been a long time coming now and when I last walked by it still didn't seem close to opening.

[Tweaked]

Has anyone heard anything about this place? Its been a long time coming now and when I last walked by it still didn't seem close to opening.

I walked past the other day and there were tons of permits and stop work notices and paper on the windows. There is a sign up above the windows, but this place has been in the works for what over a year?

There is also a place which looks pretty trendy and hip on 8th that is being worked on...can't remember the name though

[youngfood]

Locanda may be a step above typical Hill fare. The proprietor is a former manager of Le Paradou. He piped up in a Kliman and/or Sietsema chat, in which he said he aspires to join the ranks of Belga/Sonoma/Montmartre as the "good" restaurants in SE Capitol Hill. (He was proud to say that his restaurant would be located in the "triangle" created by those restaurants.)

He also said the menu will be Italian, with Turkish influences. Let's hope he's found a chef who can pull that off in a way that's not totally contrived.

Zagat says Locanda is opening next week.

[Spiral Stairs]

Zagat says Locanda is opening next week.

I walked by it about a week ago. All the windows were papered over for the sake of opacity, but the exterior looked polished. A "Stop Work" order on the door cited unapproved signage in a historic district. At the time I walked by, I saw no sign at all. So maybe they have removed the offending sign.

(Is anyone else scared by the restaurant's use of the neologism "meditalia" in its self-descriptions? "Fusion" menus are hard to pull off. The photos on the restaurant's placeholder website look pretty though.)

[Al Dente]

(Is anyone else scared by the restaurant's use of the neologism "meditalia" in its self-descriptions?

We're fortunate this isn't a fusion of cuisine from Geneva and Italy.

[DPop]

We're fortunate this isn't a fusion of cuisine from Geneva and Italy.

What do you mean by that? I lived in Geneva for several years and found the Italian food (that did have a Swiss influence at times) that I had over there to be much better than the majority of the Italian-influenced fare I have had in the US. Is that what you were getting at or am I missing something?

[Al Dente]

What do you mean by that? I lived in Geneva for several years and found the Italian food (that did have a Swiss influence at times) that I had over there to be much better than the majority of the Italian-influenced fare I have had in the US. Is that what you were getting at or am I missing something?

The restaurant describes its regional influence as "Meditalia", presumably from the words "Mediterranean" and "Italia". My hilarious quip combined the words "Geneva" and "Italia" which would arrive at the culinary descriptor of "Genitalia". Those who got this little play on words are surely incapacitated by paroxysms of laughter and will be unable to get off the floor or see through the tears in their eyes for several hours.

It ain't funny when you have to explain it...

[DPop]

The restaurant describes its regional influence as "Meditalia", presumably from the words "Mediterranean" and "Italia". My hilarious quip combined the words "Geneva" and "Italia" which would arrive at the culinary descriptor of "Genitalia". Those who got this little play on words are surely incapacitated by paroxysms of laughter and will be unable to get off the floor or see through the tears in their eyes for several hours.

It ain't funny when you have to explain it...

No, it's still funny, I'm just slow on the uptake.

[Spiral Stairs]

I walked by an hour ago. It looks like they might be opening (soft?) tonight (unless they already did so last night), though there was nothing posted on the door. The signage that must have prompted the stop work order referenced above is up; the tables were set for service (napkins, wine glasses and all); and I could see activity in the kitchen. I didn't get a good look at the decor, except to note that the chairs are orange and plastic. (They are orange and plastic in the "really expensive and hip" sense, not in the "found at a thrift shop" sense.)

[wdcbrucefan]

The new restaurant replacing Ellington's on 8th is rumored to be from the same owners. Work on that location was ongoing Saturday, replacing plate glass windows, etc. Contractors said that it'll be Italian, and open in 2 weeks. But there's a lot of work left to do in that timeframe.

[Tujague]

Locanda started serving dinner last night; I stopped by to check out the menu. A nice mixture of mediterranean-influenced appetizers, pastas, and entrees, moderately priced (though I didn't get a sense of the portion sizes). Nothing struck me as particularly original, however--in fact, much of it seemed rather similar to what's on the menu at Sonoma, including a small cheese and charcuterie selection, some reasonably priced wines by the glass. I might have decided to stick around to eat, but I arrived just behind the DC health inspectors, doing an impromptu inspection right at the height of dinner service, much to the owner's chagrin (though there were only a handful of diners). Seemed like not the best time to try it out, first night or not. Went to Montmartre instead and snagged an outdoor table on a cloudy but coolish summer evening--prosciutto with melon, scallops with couscous/grapes/apricots. Nice. I hope Locanda is a success, but for now Montmartre remains the class act of the Hill.

[Tujague]

I returned tonight for dinner at Locanda. (It turns out this is only their second night open; Tuesday was a soft opening for friends and family.) At 6:15 I was the first person there, but by the time I left at 7:45, it was 2/3 full and turning folks away because of reservations. As I mentioned in my previous post, they offer a small list of charcuterie (a la carte, or $15 for 3) and cheeses (3 for $14), some antipasti and other small plates, a few salads, about 7 pastas (mid-teens), and 5 entrees ($20+). There is also a wine list of around 30 (?) wines, about half of which are available by the glass or half-liter, glasses ranging from about $6 to $11.

Started with the stuffed squash blossoms ($6) and the gambeni ($14). The former were nicely battered and perfectly fried, but it was hard to detect the promised mozzarella filling (maybe I was expecting it to be more obvious than it was). That said, the serving had two tasty and good-sized blossoms with an unassuming fresh tomato sauce. I'd order them again. The gambeni consisted of five modestly sized shrimp in garlic-red pepper oil and a bit of cheese. These were served piping hot--really too hot--and while the rendition was fine (with perhaps too much oil), it was hard not to compare it to the garlic shrimp at Jaleo, and come out in favor of the latter (not least on price). The negroni I ordered to go with these was just okay--it tasted slightly watered down.

Moved on then to a very nice maccheroncelli and cheese with finely minced, crisply pancetta ($15), which gave it a wonderful smoky flavor. The tubular pasta was perfectly al dente, and while at first sight the portion seemed slightly small, I was stuffed by the time I was finished. The glass of Carpazo Sangiovese was a nice accompaniment, and a reasonably sized pour for $6.

The room itself is nicely decorated, though I hope that they eventually adorn the bare walls a bit. A long upholstered banquette lines one wall, bare wood tables and upscale hard orange chairs make up the rest of the seating, and the floor is also bare. I wonder how loud the place will be at full capacity. Nicest touch was a couple of Italian cookies with the bill, including a wonderful pignoli. Overall, it was not bad for so early in its tenure--the slips weren't disasters, the best things were very good, and I imagine the cooking will get more assured as they go along (I'd like to see more evidence of the Turkish influences). I suspect that this will be a popular success--it offers something quite different from anything else in the Eastern Market neighborhood.

(By the way, Locanda and what's going into Ellington's share only the same landlord. The proprietor of Locanda is only advising the person who is developing the other site, who he tells me is a restaurant neophyte.)

[youngfood]

they offer a small list of charcuterie (a la carte, or $15 for 3) and cheeses (3 for $14), some antipasti and other small plates, a few salads, about 7 pastas (mid-teens), and 5 entrees ($20+). There is also a wine list of around 30 (?) wines, about half of which are available by the glass or half-liter, glasses ranging from about $6 to $11.
...
I wonder how loud the place will be at full capacity. Nicest touch was a couple of Italian cookies with the bill, including a wonderful pignoli.

Locanda is off to a very good start. If they can sustain, this will be an excellent addition to the neighborhood.

The place was packed tonight - not an empty seat in the house and they were turning away folks who showed up without reservations by 7. It does get loud when at full capacity - would be nice to see them do something to address this - but everything else about the place impressed me. We grazed small items and were generally very pleased. I liked the squash blossoms, and the fava-mint crostini, the crudo of bay scallops special. The calamari was fresh and well cooked, but a touch overbreaded. The herbed mayo and pesto-like dipping sauces were both very nice. The frutti di mare was the highlight. As a seafood lover, I've often been disappointed by this dish. Far too often it invovles an uninteresting spicy red sauce and some overcooked seafood. Locanda uses a green sauce (spinach pesto of sorts, I think) and the seafood was wonderfully fresh and tender. Little clams, shrimp, mussles, and tiny "calamari" ringlets abound.

We enjoyed the wine list as well. 6 oz and 1/4 Litre (8 oz) pours are both available (note the 6 oz pours were generally better values by the ounce) and the list leans Italian.

Service far exceeded expectations for a new spot and for the Hill. I suspect the owner's background had something to do with that, but our server Sarah was probably as good if not better than any server I've ever had anywhere on the Hill. If I didn't know, I wouldn't believe this place was brand new and I wouldn't have thought I was eating out on Capitol Hill. I'm not sure I'm ready to encourage people to come to the Hill for dinner, but for people who live here, this is a must try and likely a very welcome addition.

[DonRocks]

The place was packed tonight - not an empty seat in the house and they were turning away folks who showed up without reservations by 7.

Say hello next time.

The frutti di mare was the highlight. As a seafood lover, I've often been disappointed by this dish. Far too often it invovles an uninteresting spicy red sauce and some overcooked seafood. Locanda uses a green sauce (spinach pesto of sorts, I think) and the seafood was wonderfully fresh and tender. Little clams, shrimp, mussles, and tiny calamari ringlets abound.

Absolutely correct, except: Those weren't calamari ringlets; they were perfectly curled-up loops of al-dente pasta masquerading as calamari. Stay tuned for next week's Lettres...

Cheers,
Rocks.

[youngfood]

Say hello next time.

I might actually recognize you if only you would wear the mask that you had on for the profile that ran in the Washingtonian a year or so back... Or perhaps if you told us that this is really a photoshoped version of you less a few pounds and years....

[Meaghan]

Mmmmm, yummy. Locanda has sexy Snow Queen Vodka at the bar! Gulp, gulp, gulp.

[wdcbrucefan]

We were headed up to a quick Thai dinner at Old Siam, and looked like Locanda was closed. They're not open Sundays? We considered trying it tonight, but decided we were a little too scruffy after a 4 hours drive back to town. It doesn't sound like the type of place to pop into in tee shirts, flip flops, unshaved for 2 days. Right?

[Pat]

I had a great meal at the bar tonight. I started with a glass of pinot grigio, the warm marinated olives, and some bread. As I examined the menu more closely, I pestered the very friendly bartender with questions. He was delightful to talk to and very happy to answer my questions.

Still unable to decide what to order, I told him that I wanted the Pasta ai Fruitti di Mare and was trying to pick something else fairly small to go with that. He made helpful suggestions, including the fava bean and mint crostini, which I decided against, since I'd already had bread. He helped me settle on the arancini with summer squash (3 pieces). Wow. That was possibly the best arancini I've ever had. The crust and risotto were both perfect, and they smelled and tasted heavenly. The Fruitti di Mare was extraordinary. I only regretted that I had no room for the last few ringlets of pasta. What a great addition to Capitol Hill dining this is.

[wdcbrucefan]

We got here for the first time last Thursday, and I'm sorry to say we were disappointed.

It was past 9pm, and on the plus side, I was glad to see somewhere still serving until 10 during the week. A group came in at 10ish as we left and were seated. I had been told on the phone earlier in the day that the kitchen was open until 9 or 9:30, depending on the crowd, but they seem even more flexible than that.

We started with the calamari, which was tasty, but not as crispy as I'd like. Admittedly, having it in close proximity to my squid at Hook last week definately put it at a disadvantage.

I had a baked pasta with cream sauce pancetta & bread crumbs. Comes in a small Lodge cast iron pan. Was tasty and quite large and filling. Not much pancetta to be seen/tasted though.

She had a pasta with eggplant and tomatoes, but the eggplant was also scarce, and she thought it was "soapy" and "mostly skin."

Dessert was the peccorino fritters with honey. Despite the menu's billing as plural, its one. While I'm a big fan of anything cheese and anything fried, I found this dish a bit odd. The honey sweetened it up, but the it ran out quickly.

The Sicilian wine we each had was tasty and big.

Service was friendly, attentive and smooth.

Bottom line of $100 with tip was more than I thought middling squid and 2 pasta dishes was worth.

I'll plan to try it again, as I want to support good restaurants on Capitol Hill, but our first impression wasn't stellar. But, I can't say enough how happy I am to see a place serving "late."

[hillvalley]

Locanda is not getting the attention it deserves on this board. As people swoon over The Source, and I am sure rightfully so, Locanda is putting out excellent food at more affordable prices. The menu reminds me of Komi when it was ala carte. Not because of the dishes per se, although the inventiveness found at Komi is seen in some dishes, but because of the care that goes into the food. These dishes could be coming out of Johnny Monis' kitchen.

We started with fried calamari and carpaccio. Whatever problems were stated in the previous post, two months ago, has been resolved. The calamari was lightly breaded and fried to a golden hue leaving tender, flavorful rings. The aioli is fine but the parsley dip was excellent. It reminded us of Passover. The carpaccio is exactly what it should be: paper thin pieces of meat with accompaniments that highlighted the depth of flavor of the meat. The celery leaves and fried capers were perfect accents.

Ravioli of the day is all that it has been hyped to be. Tonight it was stuffed with artichoke, fontina and parmesan cheese. Artichoke often gets lost when paired with other flavors but somehow the cheese stayed in the background and let the artichoke come through. It was served in a simple butter sauce that we sopped up at the end.

We also had the Pasta ai Fruitti di Mare. As noted above it is served in a brilliant green sauce, with a parsley base. The tender calamari was there, along with shrimp, mussels, and clams. Every piece of seafood tasted as if it was straight out of the sea. Clams that were sweet and brilliant, mussels that were properly cooked, shrimp that were proud to be shrimp. The silky rings of pasta that completed the dish were an excellent conduit for the sauce. When fruitti di mare is an option, one of us always orders it. This is easily the best version we have had.

If you want to talk about important restaurants for DC, Locanda needs to be included in the conversation. It is a block from the Eastern Market. Many of the businesses in the area suffered from loss of revenue while the Market was closed. Locanda won't bring as many to the neighborhood, but hopefully their memorable meal will bring it back. I am admittedly biased and sentimental about this part of the Hill and am grateful someone took a chance on my neighborhood.

For those of us who need a lower price point for a special night out we have found it.

[wolverine]

Some friends are coming to town and for one of the nights they have requested Italian, especially a restaurant with good pasta. Thinking about trying Locanda. Any thoughts on the quality of its pasta? Any other suggestions? I'd prefer some place that takes reservations.

[dcandohio]

Some friends are coming to town and for one of the nights they have requested Italian, especially a restaurant with good pasta. Thinking about trying Locanda. Any thoughts on the quality of its pasta? Any other suggestions? I'd prefer some place that takes reservations.

If you don't mind a suggestion from a Buckeye...just ate at Locanda Saturday night and the pasta is lovely. I had the mint paparadelle (SP?) with lamb ragu. I think it was $16. The pasta was fresh and cooked perfectly, though I would have liked more mint flavor. SO had the ravioli of the day, which was goat cheese and leeks. Definitely a winner. That pasta was yummy. The ruccola salad is large enough for two to share - especially if you want dessert. They take reservations and it has a very nice, neighborhood vibe.

[cheezepowder]

I'd prefer some place that takes reservations.

Sounds like you're going to make reservations anyway, but for anyone else, I'd definitely recommend making reservations for Locanda. We stopped in Friday night without a reservation, and unfortunately, they had nothing available (the hostess was very nice about it).

[Pat]

I haven't gotten back there recently, but if they still have the Pasta ai Fruitti di Mare on the menu, that is really exquisite.

[JLK]

[welcome dcandohio!]

[hillvalley]

If your friends are looking for traditional Italian red sauce with meatballs, fettucine alfredo pasta they will be disappointed. But if they can appreciate good pasta in unusal dishes you will be fine.

[youngfood]

Anyone have any recommendations off the wine list here? We've got reservations for tonight and just found out that we'll be celebrating my being offered a great job, so I'm hoping to try something good.

[giant shrimp]

the tables can be wobbly, on a cold night the front of the place is like an ice box every time the door opens, there are three good light fixtures, two by the front window, and the rest are leopard-spot glass, and dishes tend to be cleared slowly. but i really have only one complaint about my visit last night: the painting of the recumbent cubist demoiselle i could not take my eyes off once noticing that she was wearing hitler's moustache. why the fashion statement? our waitress agreed that the hair was clearly in place, and said that she must be reading "mein kampf." so inappropriate!

my first impression is that the kitchen isn't breaking any new ground here, and the next time i might just head straight for the pasta. a bowl of perfectly cooked and sauced scialatielli with flavorful notes of cauliflower and chard was all i really needed.

[Pat]

After anticipating the meal for some time, I was less impressed with the food on my belated return trip to Locanda than on my initial visit. My husband, who had not been there before, was much happier with his food (manchego soup and maccheroncelli with truffled fontina) than I was with mine. We were both disappointed with the bread, which I recall liking on my first visit. The second basket they brought us was slightly better than the first, which seemed almost stale. (We were hungry and eating it despite that, but I had almost a full slice abandoned on my bread plate and there was still a piece in the basket when they offered a refill). I didn't care for the flavor of the olive oil, though my husband thought it was ok.

The arancini I loved so much before is no longer on the menu, so I ordered the fried calamari, which I had seen praised here and in another thread. I didn't like it very much. At first, I just figured their way of preparing it is not to my taste, but, rereading the descriptions in other posts, I think they may have changed the method of preparation again. Possibly the difference was just who was cooking it last night. I don't know. The breading seemed dense and heavy, and the calamari was deeply browned rather than golden. I did not like the green dipping sauce at all, but did like the pimenton aioli.

I also had the Maltagliati with Duck Ragu, which was not what I expected. Again, I don't know if their way of making this is not appealing to me for reasons of taste or if something was amiss with the particular serving I got. The presentation of the dish was striking and quite appealing at first glance. The wide shavings of pale cheese (Parmesan?) over the top mimicked the shapes of the green pasta, and it looked lovely. When I began eating, I thought there were black beans in the dish, but the small bean-shaped nuggets turned out to be the duck. I had figured it would be shredded into a sauce or something...else. The broth that pooled in the bottom of the dish was wonderful, especially sopped up with stale-ish bread, but this was not what I was expecting from duck ragu.

We're not dessert people, but the chocolate and orange semifreddo sounded appealing. We split that and enjoyed it. I think it was my favorite part of the meal.

The service was quite good, and the place was packed on a Saturday evening. I still haven't ordered from the seconds menu, and I think I will try that next time in combination with a pasta and skip having an appetizer.

[Banco]

I ate at the bar at Locanda last night and overall had a very pleasant meal. First up was a shaved fennel salad garnished with blood orange. The fennel shavings were wafer thin and macerated just enough with citrus to become tender without losing their crunch. They were mounded attractively in the middle of the plate and sprinkled with some carefully sliced chives and surrounded by crimson slices of blood orange. This was an excellent rendition of this dish. Next was an appetizer special of steak tartar. I like my tartar on the austere and acidic side, and this was unfortunatley the opposite: smothered in carmelized shallots, cheese and aioli, with a quail egg for good measure. This was a well-prepared dish for what it was, and I'm sure there are many who would like it, but it did not appeal to me for subjective reasons. Next I had another special, eggplant ravioli in a simple tomato sauce. The fresh pasta at Locanda is really very good and this was no exception, though I found it had been cooked too long and absorbed too much water. But it was delicious nonetheless.

The prices at Locanda can be a bit surprising. A Hendrick's Martini was $14.00 (!), and the modestly proportioned and relatively uncomplicated pasta special was $17.00. A bit steep, I would say.

[Pat]

Grabbed dinner at the bar tonight and had a most satisfying meal with great service. I got the salad special, which was greens with grilled radicchio, baby artichokes, balsamic vinagrette and crushed pistachios over the top. Excellent salad. It featured a tad too much salt for my taste, but I loved it. The grilled flavor of the radicchio came through nicely and just really made the salad.

The other dish I got was the ravioli of the day: stuffed with artichoke, in garlic butter with parsley and Parmigiano. Fabulous ravioli. The olive oil and bread were better this time than last I commented, and I'd already had a couple of pieces of bread dipped in olive oil before I realized I needed to dip bread in the garlic butter too. Oh, I am so stuffed . Had a glass of Trebbiano to drink--actually, their glass and a half (8 oz.).

With tax, before tip, the meal was $40. This is more than I like to spend on an impromptu night out, but I don't eat here much, and it was definitely worth it.

[youngfood]

Bad news from Tomchat though Tom suggests improvements to come soon:

Arlington, Va.: I submitted last week, but think there was a computer glitch. Does anyone know what is going on at Locanda? It WAS one of my favorite places and I went there often. My last two trips were very disappointing. The food was not good. Quality and quantity is seriously lacking. I noticed as well that the regular chef is no longer there. I also notice that in one week, the entire staff had changed. Different wait staff, hostess and the weekend bartender was gone. (The current one is not friendly at all.) I was excited that there was another choice on the Hill with great potential. It looks like it was just a fleeting success. By the way I am not a former employee, just a former (?) disappointed customer.

Tom Sietsema: Locando is in, um, "transition" at this point. The original chef has left. My hunch is that the Italian restaurant will return to its near-glory in the months ahead. Sorry to be vague, but that's all I can say right now, having spoken with a few key players (one of whom seems not to be telling me the truth).

[wolverine]

Anybody been recently?

[Banco]

I thought for some reason that Locanda had closed, but see their website is still up and with a fall menu. Does anyone know what is going on here since the chef's departure mentioned upthread?

[giant shrimp]

I thought for some reason that Locanda had closed, but see their website is still up and with a fall menu. Does anyone know what is going on here since the chef's departure mentioned upthread?

he came back, and he's probably still there.

[hillvalley]

I've been twice in the past month and can report that all is well at Locanda. Had the orichetti with roasted cauliflower both times-a little too spicy for me but still a great pasta dish. The fried calamari is still some of the best around. Go-they need your support more now than ever.

[Banco]

Thanks for these updates. I really had no idea things had resumed there.

[EmilyGrace]

Chef Brian Barszcz has been back since September. Things are back and better than ever! They're even starting monthly wine dinners now as well.

[Banco]

We were at Locanda Saturday evening for the first time in a couple years. The experience was so good we kept talking about it the next day. Paparadelle in a lamb ragout flavored with mint was exactly like something you might get as a guest at an Italian home with a gifted cook in the kitchen. My wife had the special, a roasted beet ravioli--delicious and pillowy in a light but savory cream sauce. She also enjoyed her arugula salad, simply garnished with Parmesan shavings and a lemon vinaigrette. My Bresaola, flavored with capers and cornichons, was also excellent, though I prefer it sliced somewhat thinner. Our dessert, a brandied cherry bread pudding, disappeared in a flash. Service was attentive despite a full house. We came away with a pleasantly sated feeling and still lingering over taste memories.

We wondered why we didn't come to Locanda more often, particularly as the cooking at Sonoma has become rather inconsistent of late and Matchbox seems determined to drive people away with techno-pop. This was one of the more enjoyable meals we've had in quite a while.

[dcandohio]

We were at Locanda Saturday evening for the first time in a couple years. The experience was so good we kept talking about it the next day. Paparadelle in a lamb ragout flavored with mint was exactly like something you might get as a guest at an Italian home with a gifted cook in the kitchen. My wife had the special, a roasted beet ravioli--delicious and pillowy in a light but savory cream sauce. She also enjoyed her arugula salad, simply garnished with Parmesan shavings and a lemon vinaigrette. My Bresaola, flavored with capers and cornichons, was also excellent, though I prefer it sliced somewhat thinner. Our dessert, a brandied cherry bread pudding, disappeared in a flash. Service was attentive despite a full house. We came away with a pleasantly sated feeling and still lingering over taste memories.

We wondered why we didn't come to Locanda more often, particularly as the cooking at Sonoma has become rather inconsistent of late and Matchbox seems determined to drive people away with techno-pop. This was one of the more enjoyable meals we've had in quite a while.

Thanks for the update. I enjoyed it so much when it first opened, but have been reluctant to return. Your post might motivate me to put Locanda right back into the rotation!

[Anna Blume]

So, have you gone?

[New Foodie]

Went to Locanda tonight for the first time. It had been on my list for a while, but I just hadn't made it yet (especially with the changes in chefs/management/etc). Overall I wasn't thrilled with my experience there, but I would probably go back for certain things.

The cheese plate tonight was good...a goat's brie which was excellent and a nice tangy version of a normal brie. The parmigiano reggiano was good, but I've decided I don't love this on a cheese plate (only really a bite or two). The third was one not listed on their website, but was a soft cheese combination of goat and cow I believe. The mostarda and guava paste served alongside were a really great accompaniment.

The +1's entree was the better of the two. He had the fresh spaghetti with prosciutto, peas, mint and Parmesan. The pasta was indeed fresh and very soft and the peas seemed like bright, fresh spring peas with a good crunch. It was a very light dish, but had a wonderful flavor and would definitely be worth going back for. My entree, however, I wouldn't order again. I had the diver scallops with caper-parsley puree, lobster mushrooms and pea tendrils. It was four scallops on a bed of thin puree and a few mushrooms scattered around (admittedly a smaller amount of food than I was expecting for $26). But the scallops were disappointingly overcooked, fishy and salty. It wasn't anything bad enough to send back, but it was definitely disappointing.

Overall, I'm glad I finally tried Locanda, but there's certainly many places I would head to before then. On a Friday night between 8pm and 9:30pm it was never more than half full, and I can see why.

[giant shrimp]

i have heard that they have closed. have they?

[DonRocks]

i have heard that they have closed. have they?

Two conflicting, but inconclusive, bits of information: Their answering machine is on right now (at 8:15 PM on Friday night), but OpenTable shows reservations available next week.

[Dave Pressley]

If they are closed, someone better snatch up Barszcz pretty quick. He's a great guy and a helluva chef.

[DonRocks]

If they are closed, someone better snatch up Barszcz pretty quick. He's a great guy and a helluva chef.

I got some reliable information during the night that confirms they are closed.

If any servers or management personnel are looking for work, please contact me - I know of a place that's looking.

[New Foodie]

I can't say I'm surprised, as evidenced by my May 1 posting. They didn't seem to be doing a whole lot of business.

[ScotteeM]

This thread is being quoted/attributed on Facebook. Not by me.

[giant shrimp]

If they are closed, someone better snatch up Barszcz pretty quick. He's a great guy and a helluva chef.

I hear, fairly reliably, that he has been snapped up by the jefferson hotel, where he will be the executive sous chef at plume.