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Category:
Published: June 2007
Lanci's Ristorante
68 Putnam St.
Saratoga Springs, NY
518.581.1973
www.lancisristorante.com
Are you a discerning diner who is looking for a new dining experience? I found it for you. Lanci's on Putnam Street in Saratoga offers fine Italian cuisine in an intimate setting.
Lanci's only seats 22 and features authentic regional dishes from all over Italy. Chef John Lanci cooks every dish himself, and his wife Caterina will finish your dining experience with her amazing dessert creations.
The soft lighting sets a comfortable and classy mood in Lanci's olive green dining room. The walls are adorned with original paintings of Tuscany by the Lanci's son, Matthew. All the Lanci's are involved in the restaurant. One gets the feeling that it is a true labor of love
We began our evening with a fabulous bottle of wine from the Umbria region of Italy. Signora Caterina recommended it. The wine was Montefalco Rosso 2003 and is currently the most heart healthy wine on the market today. It is from the vineyards of Arnaldo Caprai where they have reintroduced Sagrantino grapes. The wine is 70% Sangiovese, 15%, Sagrantino and 15% Merlot. It is a densely colored, ruby-hued red with intense aromas of plums and vanilla, full bodied, dry and light. By the way, don't order any French wine at Lanci's. The wine offerings are strictly Italian.
After leisurely sipping our wine, we decided to order some food. We began with broccoli di rabe prepared with raisins and pine nuts, and a torta di pesce, rock shrimp and sea scallops in a parmesan bescimella sauce covered with a dough top. Both appetizers were outstanding. The sweetness of the raisins complimented the bitter edge of the rabes and the wonderful texture of the pine nuts; it was superb. The torta di pesce was also marvelous. A hint of saffron with the scallops and shrimp was just perfect. The bescimella sauce was ideal and the pastry light and flaky.
For our entrees we ordered cappellini and veal Pieomentese. The cappellini dish consisted of sauted crabmeat, white anchovies, artichoke hearts, and Gaeta olives in a white wine garlic sauce served over angel hair pasta. Everything about this dish was fresh and perfectly prepared. It was delicate, yet very flavorful. Those of you who follow my reviews know by now that I love veal, so I had to try their veal Piemontase, and might I say, I'm so glad I did. It was veal scallopine with grilled eggplant, bresaola, fresh basil and melted parmesan served with risotto and baby asparagus. It was mouth-watering. The veal scaloppini was of the highest quality. Again, everything was so fresh and beautifully prepared I don't think I said two words during dinner (which is unusual for me). The risotto was creamy and wonderful and the baby asparagus was cooked to perfection. Kudos to Chef John!
Everything up to this point had been so outstanding that I just had to try one of Signora Caterina's dessert creations. I decided on the budino cioccolato. Dark chocolate mousse finished with layers of caramel, chocolate sauce and whipped cream, topped with crushed espresso beans. It was creamy, rich and luscious.
To sum it up: Lanci's is a unique and wonderful place. The food and service are exceptional. Lanci's also offers heart healthy choices. There is something very special about the intimacy of the restaurant. If you have an occasion coming up or just want to enjoy an evening of fine dining, then Lanci's is for you.
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