Toscano

He said:

The Toscano restaurant possessed a lovely elegance. One main room held most of the dining area under a tall, peaked ceiling, with large banks of windows facing both eastward and westward. The high ceiling allowed several full-size Ficus trees to thrive, each adorned with romantic strings of lights. Billowing black drapery softened the ceiling’s lines and helped to create a cozy atmosphere despite the size of the dining room.

As we took our seats, the hostess directed us to a QR code to load the menu. However, at our request, she brought us printed menus. Instead of a specific lunch menu, the regular menu included a Pranzo section listing sandwiches available on weekdays until 3:00. We decided instead to sample some other items, beginning with the Bruschetta from the Antipasti section.

The bruschetta arrived artfully arranged on a plate with arugula in the center. Each piece stacked its ingredients on a slice of toasted ciabatta. They hit all the right notes, starting with the ciabatta that wasn’t toasted to a crisp. A slice of heirloom tomato sat atop a spread of goat cheese, with a strip of crispy, fried pancetta. The balsamic glaze gave it the familiar tang I love.

For my meal, I ordered the Primavera with blackened chicken. Toscano’s version featured penne, and it had a mild pesto cream sauce rather than the light, lemony flavor that I have frequently found. The chicken was great! It was seasoned well with a variety of savory spices and blackened, of course, yet the interior remained tender and juicy. The Primavera also tasted good, but it still managed to leave me a bit disappointed. I had ordered it in anticipation of many vegetables, but I found instead a paucity. I didn’t find any of the sun-dried tomatoes it was supposed to have, and only a couple snap peas, the only actual Spring vegetable in the dish. There were a few kernels of corn. Only the slices of carrots seemed plentiful. I enjoyed the dish, but I would have enjoyed it more with more vegetables, which I think would have befitted a Primavera.

Regardless, I ate my fill. I would have liked to sample the Carrot Cake, with its candied pecans, cream cheese buttercream frosting, and fresh berries, but I was too full to even finish the bruschetta. And I wouldn’t have minded that as a dessert. I did like the bruschetta quite a bit.

She said:

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised that Toscano is open for lunch, and not only for dinner as I’d assumed. Upon entering, I was pleased with the casual sophistication of the restaurant. It’s simply—but beautifully—appointed with bronze-colored booth seats, deep brown leather chairs, travertine flooring, live plants, and an eclectic mix of artwork and photos. I was especially amused by the painting of deep red lips that hung in front of me on the opposite wall.

Brian already mentioned and described the bruschetta. It was really delicious and made my tastebuds dance and sing. They were practically tap-dancing. 😉 In fact, although it was tasty and filling, I liked eating the bruschetta even more than my steak salad. My salad contained romaine lettuce, diced cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, medium-rare, sliced steak, and pine nuts. The combination was great, complementary. The different textures and flavors were very enjoyable.

Alas, because it was so filling, I didn’t have room to enjoy delving into the decadent- and delectable-sounding chocolate lava cake. Maybe next time . . .

Conclusion:

Add some class to your outing by dining on good food in an elegant setting. The bruschetta was a hit with us. We hope you will enjoy it as much.