THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED LUSCA

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED LUSCA Restaurant Review:

Inspired by its sister restaurant, the Octopus Bar in East Atlanta Village, LUSCA's icon is a giant octopus painted on the rear wall. The attractive, well-lit dining room is all hard surfaces that exacerbate the noise level. Go later rather than earlier to avoid the din. Start with a chilled dry sherry or a white port (Kopke) on the rocks splashed with tonic water and a squeeze of lime. But there are so many notable wine choices by the glass and classic cocktails that it's hard to decide. Raw bar options and sushi (nigiri) compete for our attention, especially at lunch when oysters are half-off. Open with the rock crab on pain au levain, a seafood salad poised atop a slice of house-baked bread. Eminently shareable, the charcuterie platter bears a variety of house-made items (liver mousse) or cured meats from Jonathan Sellitto, LUSCA's Boston-based partner-consultant. Meanwhile, tortellini bathe in a warm broth. Tender grilled quail on grits sported a slightly excessive application of sea salt but was still quite tasty. Swordfish, cooked to the just slightly pink stage, was a study in sweet, moist, meaty fish. Field peas came unadorned so their underlying flavor shone. Sure to become the house signature dessert is the horchata ice cream. A word regarding service: rarely does one find staff as well-versed in the dishes, and their passion shines.