Lugano Restaurant3364 S. 2300 East412-9994U-Discount: NoFive out of five plates (food) Five out of five stars (ambiance)$15-30 per person
It’s kind of sad, really.
Some people, no matter how hard they try, just don’t know how to plan a good date. Now, a good date can include all kinds of activities-dancing, bowling, hang-gliding-but it’s just not a date unless that staple element, that fundamental, is included: dinner.
And when it comes to dinner, there are so many ways to go wrong. The biggest mistake you can make is choosing the wrong restaurant-a messy, chaotic or altogether unromantic ambiance can butcher a date; terrible service can make it just plain irritating; sub-par food or presentation can sap out all the enjoyment. And, what’s worse, any and all of these things have the potential to be like a giant wine stain in the middle of pure white carpet-they have what I call DRP: Date Ruin Potential.
Now, as we all know, there’s quite possibly no more important date night of the year than Feb. 14.
Whether you’re cuddling up with a long-time sweetie, attempting to make things more serious in a casual relationship, or wooing someone new, this is the date you can’t afford to screw up.
So if you’re one of those people who were somehow born without the brain function necessary for planning a romantic date, pay attention here:
Lugano.
Say it with me now: loo, gone, oh.
And “oh” is exactly what your date will say when he or she experiences the epitome of a Valentine’s Day date.
Not “oh” as in, “Oh, that’s interesting. There’s dog poop in my shoe,” but “oh” as in, “Oh! Ohhh! Ohhhhh! You’re amazing! Take me now!”
Just kidding.
But no, seriously.
Lugano not only has no trace of DRP, but it’s dripping with CSP: Complete Seduction Potential.
“What?,” you ask. “How could a restaurant have an effect like that?”
Here’s how:
Lugano’s ambiance is as good as it gets in the realm of elegant-chic-eclectic. The dark, classy furniture and richly colored walls and dcor create a bold, sophisticated backdrop, the framed vintage European posters add a cultured feel and the open kitchen perfumes the restaurant with all its heavenly scents-and serenades it with bustling sounds.
But these kitchen sounds aren’t like most places’-I don’t know how (maybe it’s the wood-burning oven?), but Lugano makes even cooking noises seem elegant.
It must be one of the magical effects of that enchanting atmosphere.
The servers are all polite, attentive and there just when you need them, not when you don’t. As you probably know, either an ever-absent or an ever-hovering server is suuuuch a mood-killer.
And, as you probably suspected, I’m saving the best for last. The food at Lugano is absolutely amazing.
Northern Italian by name, tantalizing by taste and stunning by sight, it’s probably impossible to find a more flavorful and beautiful meal anywhere in the city.
The staff at Lugano pays attention to every aspect of every dish, down to the very last detail. The flavors you get here are rich, developed and in perfect harmony with each other. Every plate comes as proof that incredible thought and painstaking effort was put into making it the best it could be. And every dish, from appetizers to desserts, arrives at your table just breathing creative flair and sophistication.
For example, the hand-stretched mozzarella rolled with arugula, roasted tomato relish, pine nuts and basil is practically an artistic interpretation of the Italian flag-it’s a striking medley of green, white and red, all rolled together into a rather amazing spiral, and its savory sauce enhances and unites the flavors of the other ingredients.
Another awe-inspiring appetizer is the focaccia with grilled pear, caramelized onions, gorgonzola and toasted pine nuts. It’s pretty much a gorgonzola-stuffed pizza adorned with the surprisingly delicious combination of sweet pears, sweetened onions, crunchy-nutty pine nuts and shaved parmesan cheese. It’s an audacious idea that could have ended up on the weird end, but Lugano executed it perfectly, yielding an unusually scrumptious dish.
The entrees at Lugano are all equally intricate and bursting with exquisite flavor. For example, there’s the grilled Atlantic salmon, served with basil mashed potatoes, lemon, olive oil and roasted tomato relish. Then there’s the fettuccini with Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms, red onion, baby spinach and tomato cream sauce. And you can’t forget about the white wine braised lamb shank with soft polenta and wild mushroom/black olive relish.
Lugano also offers daily risotto dishes and specials, which promise to delight as much as if not more than the normal dishes. But there’s one more standard menu item worth mentioning: the linguini and clams with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, roasted tomato, chili flakes, basil and parsley-it has a positively unrivaled flavor, at once garlicky and basil-y, enhanced by the juicy tomatoes and toothsome clams. If you’re like me, though, you might want to get it without the chili flakes.
A swollen, red face and constant yelps for more water aren’t exactly?err?romantic.
But to create the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner, you have to remember one more thing: dessert. And Lugano definitely doesn’t disappoint in this course category. Just a few options include the vanilla bean and brown sugar crme brule with fresh berries; the flourless torte with ground amaretti, mocha gelato, whipped cream and chocolate sauce and, my personal favorite, the warm apple and walnut crisp with vanilla bean gelato.
Mmmmmm?.
To make dessert the romantic climax of the meal, make sure you’re too full to eat a whole one all by yourself?and therefore “must” split one with your date.
So, for the perfect date-or the perfect dinner part of the date (maybe you have plans for after dinner?)-all you have to remember is Lugano. A dinner here will show your date that you’re as passionate about him or her as the people at Lugano are about their food.
Now all you have to worry about is getting a reservation?for next year.