My New York friends refer to South Beach’s La Locanda as “the poor man’s Cipriani.” They love it because dinner at La Locanda costs one quarter of dinner at their favorite 5th Avenue restaurant. The restaurant La Locanda is run, like its New York counterpart, by a trio that consists of the two owners Massimo and Francesco (who after recently becoming a U.S citizen requested to be called “Frank”), and Matteo, the head waiter-manager who knits the group together. At Cipriani’s the trio consists of the owner Giuseppe with Hassan the manager, and Sergio the headwaiter. They make the world’s most expensive Italian Restaurant New York’s most popular eatery. In both restaurants most of their success is due to the charm of the owners and staff. A lot of people patronize Cipriani in New York to be seen and to see the current news makers. To a certain extent this is true of South Beach’s La Locanda, in Miami. Naturally it is not “Le Tout” Miami, but it is certainly everyone who is anyone in South Beach and visiting celebrities. It is the kind of restaurant that attracts “The beautiful people”. Every night the tables on the pavement are full of very, very pretty young women and handsome young men often with their pet dogs. Frank is a true dog lover. Water is always brought ‘sans request’ as soon as their owners are seated. Mo, the black lab, who always accompanies the English actor/author Rupert Everett is a very popular quest. If there were stars given to restaurants south of 5th (the line that divides the fashionable area from the rest of South Beach), La Locanda would get the allotted maximum for the welcoming attitude of the owners and staff, and the simple but delicious Italian food. The trio of charmers Massimo, Frank and Matteo are not only so approachable, but funny, full of stories and gossip as they are the kings of the block 407-409 Washington Avenue. I go there often to catch up upon what’s happening in my neighborhood. I love to eat their most popular dish Strozzapreti de la Locanda, and their Penne del Appennino- not the Appennines- which is not on the menu, but if you order in advance they will make it for you - fabulous. The wine list is extensive. For really great ‘reds’ Matteo will recommend the super Tuscans- Sassicaia and Tassinaia, and with La Locanda’s wonderful grouper dish their nectar-like Pino Grigio Pighin. The desserts are sparse but their home made Tiramisu is really delicious, I recommend it, and most of my friends love the profiteroles. My brother and I called them “Nun’s Tarts” which we picked-up from our nanny, Marie Rigney who was for an Irish woman rather irreligious, although she spent her declining years in a nunnery in beautiful Fiesole above Florence. Goodbye “Ciao” to the departing guests seems so real and so heart felt that one will invariably leave o a high note. Article by Desmond Gorges |