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Lunch Review: Lusardi's
by Paula Eisenberg
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Benny, behind
Lusardi's bar |
(August 23, 2002) Lusardi's, a family-owned restaurant on Palmer
Avenue in Larchmont, has been serving fine Italian food to appreciative
Westchester diners for over seven years. Usually packed at dinner,
the restaurant is inexplicably underused at lunchtime, so the Gazette's
hardy and self-sacrificing reviewer and companion decided to fill
a couple of chairs.
The cool late August afternoon made an al fresco lunch
seem just the thing, so we happily sat at one of the small tables
on the Palmer Avenue sidewalk. Benny, our charming waiter, rattled
off a luscious-sounding raft of specials, and he was equally charming
when we called him back to recite them again. Are we the only Larchmont
diners who have senior moments at menu time? Perhaps it's not elegant,
but a printed list of specials, or even a portable blackboard, would
be helpful, especially in restaurants with substantial lists of
dishes in foreign languages.
 The grilled prawns,
in a light butter and white wine sauce with canellini beans, were
meaty and cooked just right. The tongue was surprised at intervals
by the sweet punch of a tiny chunk of chutney. The chef was having
fun with this dish, and so did we.
Zuppa di Cozze, or mussels in a spicy tomato sauce, is
from the regular lunch menu. Perfectly steamed, the mussles swim
in a tangy, light tomato sauce.
Lusardi's chef has a light touch with fish and seafood, true to
the restaurant's Northern Italian focus. Sea bass in a mild lemon/butter/white
wine sauce was delicate and flavorful, graced with scallops and
shrimp, resting on wafer-thin slices of potato. Lunch main dishes
are as large as dinner portions, so beware if you don't have a large
appetite. 
A veal dish from the regular menu, Battuta al Gorgonzola,
was underwhelming. The paillard of veal, topped with fresh arugula
and drizzled with a light Gorgonzola sauce, was dry and flavorless.
The sauteed green beans, fat and juicy, were much more satisfying.
If you go to Lusardi's, you must try the heavenly flourless chocolate
cake. More a dense mousse/brownie, it's enough to make an Atkins
dieter fall off the wagon.
Several gelati were on offer. The hazelnut, creamy and
tasting faintly of mocha, hid crisp nut pieces amid the frozen delight.
 Maitre-d' Frank,
part of Lusardi's well-trained dining room staff, said the restaurant's
management prides itself on running a tight ship. "We try to
stay on top of things," he said. "We see something not
quite right, we take care of it." Lusardi's eponymous sister
restaurant has been going strong on Manhattan's Upper East Side
for 20 years. A third sister has joined the family: Moscato Ristorante
on Scarsdale Avenue in Scarsdale.
Lusardi's
1885 Palmer Avenue
Larchmont, NY 10538
914.834.5555
Sample Menu |
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