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Dining out: Haven't been to Luna Blu? Wait no longer
By TERRA WALTERS, For The Capital
Holy fusilli and farfalle, Batman! How on earth did Luna Blu manage to slip in under the radar?
Even though they recently celebrated their fourth anniversary at their charming inner West Street locale, Luna Blu opened with little fanfare and had already developed a devoted following of regulars when we finally discovered them. That makes for lots of lost time to be made up; however, considering how marvelous the food and service, making up for lost time will be a righteous pleasure!
In 2001, owner-chef Ivano Scotto, who hails from Naples (via stints at Squisito and Severna Park's popular Cafe Mezzanotte), opened Luna Blu with a specific goal in mind. Realizing that the Annapolis area already had some excellent upscale Italian restaurants and quite a few inexpensive Italian places that focused on pizza, pasta and take-out, Chef Scotto decided to open a place that would offer a varied and complete menu providing opportunities for delicious food in a full-course meal with mid-range pricing. Our party is here to tell you that they have achieved their goal in spades!
Only a half-block walk from the Calvert Street parking garage, Luna Blu occupies the space that previously housed Tony's. The name, which is Italian for blue moon, drives the decor and accents of blue begin with the tiny blue lights in the windows, and then are found in the napery as well as in the hand-painted murals that depict Chef Ivano's Neopolitan hometown. All in all, the ambiance is warm, cozy and extremely inviting.
Eyes still glazed over from a busy holiday season, our party wanted nothing more than a quiet, leisurely evening and an opportunity to get caught up with each other's lives. How fortuitous to find that desired serenity set against a backdrop of exceptional service, lovely surroundings and exemplary food.
Our server immediately assessed the situation and timed her service and her appearances at our table accordingly. Consequently, we were able to enjoy the evening - as well as the food and wine - to the max. Choosing a wine was a daunting task, for the wine list (carefully chosen by Chef Ivano and his charming wife Michelina) was filled with treats for the oenophile.
Efforts have been made to provide not just inexpensive wines to balance the medium-priced and expensive ones, but to provide inexpensive wines that are laudable in their own right. The Atlas Peak Sangiovese ($30) that we decided upon was quite a hit, and had the qualities of a much more costly full-bodied red.
Having said that, here's the recommendation for the wine to choose to celebrate a promotion, a birthday, an anniversary (or if Uncle Bob dies and leaves you a nice chunk of change: the Pio Cesare Barolo for $110. The Barolos are the heavy hitters among Italian reds, and the Pio Cesare is exquisite.)
At last it was time to choose an appetizer to share and that was a difficult decision as well. Vowing to try the Lumache alla Luna ($10) - escargots sauteed with mushrooms and garlic in a puff pastry with a marsala cream sauce - at a later date, we settled on the Mozzarella and Eggplant Napoleon ($7). It could only be sorcery that made a dish made with winter tomatoes taste so good. Layers of tomato, grilled eggplant and buffalo mozzarella with a memorable balsamic vinaigrette succeeded in being both light and very tasty. (Our party vowed to try it again next summer when the tomatoes are in season.)
Liberal tastes of the hot home-baked bread dipped in garlicky olive oil changed our minds about sharing a salad (the arugula with more of that sublime balsamic vinaigrette, provolone and marinated tomatoes at $7 would have gotten the call) and we moved forward to the entrees.
One taste of the ravioli and veal convinced us that all of our positive reactions to this restaurant had been richly deserved.
The Ravioli Con Astice ($22) was one of those rare dishes that just couldn't have been any better. The homemade ravioli, lighter than air, were filled with Maine lobster and served in a creamy sauce containing sauteed crabmeat, mushrooms and green peas ($22). Cooking ravioli to the exact optimal degree of doneness is not an easy task, but Luna Blue hit it over the fence and out of the park!
The pasta-cooking expertise also spreads to the preparation of the angel hair pasta that came with the Vitello all' Annapolis ($20). Not only were both dishes expertly prepared, but they were brought to the table literally steaming hot. Only when you experience food like that, with the proper degree of doneness as well as the proper serving temperature, do you reflect on how often that is not the case.
The veal (you can have the Annapolitan preparation with chicken as well) was also cooked perfectly. It had been sauteed with crabmeat and mushrooms and was served in a sauce that managed to be complex and savory without being heavy. Kudos to the cucina!
In view of the kitchen's masterful manner of cooking pasta, their spaghetti dishes would definitely be worth a try (the Carbonara with egg and thick pancetta bacon in a creamy Alfredo sauce at $15 would be high on my list).
Eager to prolong a wonderful evening (all right, the truth: Eager to try just one more treasure from the Luna Blu kitchen!), we decided on their tiramisu ($6) and were delighted that we did. Definitely different from your run-of-the-mill versions of the cake and custard delicacy, we savored every mouthful and congratulated them for their liberal use of cocoa powder on the top (so many people just put on a light sprinkle, more to decorate than to enhance). Not one morsel was left!
Finishing with some surprisingly authentic decaf espresso ($3), we finally had to accept with reluctance that our magnificent evening with its superb food, service, and ambiance had come to an end. How often do you find a place this good? (You knew it was coming, didn't you?) That's easy - once in a blue moon.
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WHEN YOU GO
WHAT: Luna Blu
WHERE: 36 West St., Annapolis
PHONE: 410-267-9950
WEB SITE: www.lunabluofannapolis.com
EXECUTIVE CHEF: Ivano Scotto
PRICE RANGE OF ENTRÉES: $13-$23
HOURS: Lunch, Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Dinner, Monday-Thursday 5-9:30 p.m. (until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday)
CREDIT CARDS: American Express, MasterCard and Visa
RESERVATIONS: Reservations are accepted and are also suggested, especially on weekends as the restaurant is small.
HANDICAPPED ACCESS: Yes.
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Terra Walters is a free-lance writer and editor based in Annapolis.
Luna Blu serves up tasty food
By Ashley Henery
Annapolis High School
When I first walked into Luna Blu Restaurant in Historical Annapolis, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had already been to Northwoods restaurant as part of a review and was incredibly disappointed with the service I got at what is supposed to be a fine-dining facility. Luna Blu doesn't have the same status as Northwoods and, because I had received such poor service at Northwoods, it was all I could do to not expect to have another bad experience at this restaurant as well.
To my surprise, I had an awesome meal and great service. When I first got there, I was immediately seated and quickly given a glass of water, a glass of iced tea and a basket full of warm rolls to munch on while I waited for my server. Soon, my server was at my side, ready to take my order. My server was friendly and attentive throughout my time there - two factors that were severely lacking at Northwoods.
The food itself was also superior to what I had received at Northwoods. I ordered the Tortellini Romana, which consists of cheese-filled tortellini in a garlic cream sauce. Although I had a bit of a wait until my food arrived, it was served to me very hot, and was obviously fresh. The price of my meal was also very reasonable, making me feel as though I had gotten the best deal possible.
Overall, Luna Blu is a restaurant I would recommend to anyone looking for a reasonably priced restaurant with great service and commendable food. |
