Luce

Luce Restaurant Review:

Cute but spare, Luce’s low-key storefront features a small dining room framed by black-and-white floor tiles, an open kitchen, and soaring shelves of wine. Diners awaiting their table may enjoy wine or a cocktail in the even sparser room next door. Every dish on the brief menu is served à la carte. House-made pastas, many in unusual flavors and shapes, range from spaghetti with olive oil to creative combinations such as carrot and ricotta ravioli, garganelli with shrimp and pesto, and corzetti with radicchio and pancetta. Stuffed trout, amended with garlic and breadcrumbs, is a standout. Vegetables border on being too simple. Kale, for instance, consists of a small plate of barely sautéed greens. Pickled carrots and roasted beets are worth ordering, although as appetizers partnering a rabbit and octopus salad, or cauliflower meatballs. Bread lovers should not even think of skipping the focaccia. Portions are as minimalist as the décor, so ordering a dessert is wise, and we recommend the polenta or hazelnut cakes, or indulge with a slice of flourless chocolate torte. Wine is available from an ample selection.