THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Ala Romana

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Ala Romana Restaurant Review:

If you've ever wondered how classic Italian cuisine could possibly be improved upon, Ala Romana provides many answers. In this cozy, softly lit neighborhood enoteca where attentive servers treat diners like respected friends, executive chef Philippe Routhier informs Italian dishes with the ingredients, techniques and bold internationalist spirit of his native Peru. A veteran of EPIC Roasthouse, Postrio, Grand Café and the Hotel Nikko, Routhier prepares house-made pasta with pumpkin sauce, minty green huacatay, and smoky aji panca and aji amarillo peppers. Hybrids include tempura-fried pepper with sudachi aïoli and mellow, meal-unto-itself cream of kabocha soup speckled with five-spice butter and lime. Cheesy, chewy arancini are logic-defyingly light; bite-size balsamic-spattered tortellini are stuffed with aromatic Taleggio cheese. The conservative but well-chosen selection of Californian and Italian wines provides ample pairing options. End the meal with the rich chocolate layer cake.