The Atmosphere:
Pretty awesome. La Buca translates to "The Cave" or "The Hole." The walls of the foyer (the whole 300 seat restaurant is down a flight of stairs in the basement of a building off Washington Square) are covered with frescoes of famous Renaissance paintings, including my favorite piece: Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Each room has its own distinct Old World flare. I swear, I thought I was transported back to my study abroad days in Italy.
The Food:
Magnifico! I'm a seafood aficionado, and I could tell everything I ate was caught fresh that day. The desserts were amazing, too! I have never been able to eat ricotta based cheesecake at a restaurant until Giuseppe served it up here. The cake tasted nearly identical to the one my grandma makes - and let me tell you, both are amazing. If I'm ever feeling homesick, it's good to know I can find a touch of my favorite type of cheesecake here in Philadelphia.
The Service:
The waiter was very attentive and gave great suggestions. No complaints!
Final Thoughts:
I thought the carts were amazing. First, the waiter brought out a rolling cart with an air-tight fish tank that showed the many cuts of filet available. It only got better when each course was also served from a similar rolling cart. More restaurants need to serve their food from carts as it prevents spills entirely. They even poured the soup from the vat right in front of us - that's a great feeling.
How Was The Date:
Lea was a superstar conversationalist. We talked and talked and talked to the point where we took forever to order because we hadn't opened the menus as we were learning those itty-bitty details about each other's lives. And though we'd just met, we were trading sarcastic remarks like we were fighting on the elementary school playground.
Highlights:
We both have a mutual affection for bitterness. Most people think bitterness is a negative trait- Lea was the first person I'd met who values bitterness in the same way I always have.
Lowlights:
I had garlic bread as part of my appetizer and she had garlic in her entr‚e. Luckily they cancelled each other out and we tacitly acknowledged that we both had a funky odor. And she ordered strawberries with cream for dessert - what a waste of dessert!
Notable Quotes:
She said something about me needing wine to be less shy. But that's the first time someone has called me shy in years, so perhaps that's notable.
Will You Be Seeing Each Other On Valentine's Day?
If she's down, I'm down.
