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Pizzeria Luca and Wine Bar goes beyond pizza to salads and pasta, too. (Dean Hanson/Journal)
The first rule about the restaurant business is, “make it through the first year.” Many eateries fall off the map in the first chunk of months; in some high-stakes cities a restaurant critic will not even visit before the six-month mark. Pizzeria Luca and Wine Bar in the Northeast Heights has easily passed the test, throwing pies since November 2011.
Let’s start by talking about the focus on wine – Pizzeria Luca wants to make it clear from a wall of bottles to the masthead itself that this is also a wine bar. When it comes time to choose vino for your dishes you ought to know your way around a wine list; it is difficult to find a server who can make a pairing recommendation. Some quick staff training would rectify what is otherwise a big oversight, and assist in putting Pizzeria Luca a notch above its competition.
With or without libations, you’ll want to take a few moments for the appetizer list, for treasures abound: from Carpaccio ($10) topped with peppery arugula, to a dish of buttery mushrooms, Fricassee di Funghi ($7), served with more than enough toasty bread to sop up the remaining juice. I look forward to sampling the Littleneck Clams or the full Antipasto plate in future visits.
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Pizzeria Luca and Wine Bar LOCATION: 8850 Holly NE (off Paseo del Norte), 797-8086, http://pizzerialuca.com HOURS: 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, until 10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays BEER AND WINE |
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Split the starter plates with friends to maintain your pizza persuasions – a “personal” cheese pizza starts at just $4, and the standard 14-inch size runs $9-$15 with more than enough real estate for two diners. Basil fans should not miss the Pesto di Bufala ($13), strewn with sundried tomatoes and pine nuts over pesto and slices of fresh mozzarella.
Meat lovers have not been forgotten – have no worries – when you lay eyes on the Modena and its sausage/pepperoni combo made even more potent with roasted garlic. Before long, one slice after another disappears from tip to crunchy tail; skip the crust, which on its own is a bit of a bland palette for the toppings.
Luca’s menu branches out far beyond pies into hearty salads, sandwiches and comfort-food pasta dishes. The Chef Salad ($9.50) is the best of the veggie bunch with prosciutto, salami, bacon, nuts and hard-boiled eggs. Pastas include Baked Ziti ($10) and a prosciutto-enhanced riff on mac and cheese called Luca Signatura Speciale ($10) that could be tasty were it not for the drizzle of truffle oil, a condiment best used never.
Grab a box for the slices or forkfuls of pasta that threaten to put you into post-meal nap mode, and sit back to enjoy the last few sips of your beverage.
If not overly busy, the noise level is moderate enough for an early evening conversation with friends while you plot a trip next door for groceries at Trader Joe’s. Before you go, know that the featured cheesecake flavor ($5) rotates with the season and is made in-house, unlike the tiramisu ($5.95). Despite fancier examples of each elsewhere in town, both are good for sating a sweet tooth.
