Last night we paid our first visit to Vigilucci's Trattoria Italiana in Leucadia. I can state with confidence it won't be our last visit. GM Andrea Balzarini gr...
I figured I should enjoy a taste of foie gras before California decides to ban it again. Kat went with Ravioli con Formaggio di Capra - goat cheese ravioli with tomato fonduta, Bloomsdale spinach and eggplant agrodulce.
To call Al's dessert simply a chocolate mousse would be to do it a huge disservice. This masterpiece arrived atop a wooden box, sitting on a bed of green white chocolate with dry ice smoke.
The cobbler was topped with a delectably sweet brown sugar streusel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The panna cotta was feather-light, topped with bits of candied orange and port-poached pears.
What I wasn't expecting was another item from the starters, soups and salads menu, fried cauliflower & lemon vinaigrette. I smiled politely when they served it as I'm not a big fan of cauliflower. This, however, was sublime. The vinaigrette was one of the best I have ever tasted and it was tossed with toasted cashews and currants.
If your Italian is a bit rusty, it's the local catch of the day, in this case Ahi, served with Napa grape infusion and black olives. There was also a bright citrus presence. It was yet another stunning dish.
My friend Marc wasn't kidding when he told me how good the ravioli was. Since he's gluten-intolerant he can't actually eat the pasta, but the sauce is one of the tastiest things I have ever put in my mouth. I was absolutely tempted to lick the plate.
Turns out I need not have worried. Yes, they lost the foot traffic at the old place but what they gained by moving uptown to 5th Avenue, just west of Balboa Park, more than makes up for the quaintness of the Gaslamp. The restaurant is beautifully appointed with a majestic, dark wooden bar that runs half the length of the building.