A special advertising feature of the Alexandria Times.
A la Lucia is just the sort of restaurant everyone wants to have in their town: reasonably priced Italian cuisine in a comfortable yet elegant setting with a knowledgeable wait-staff and consistently good food. The place is fancy enough to take vacationing guests, a date or a business partner, yet relaxed enough that business casual dress is not out of place.
As soon as one enters the doorway at 315 Madison St., it is easy to understand the appeal. The cast of frequent diners seems to grow almost exponentially each month as more and more people move to North Old Town.
The restaurant’s menu and the extensive, fairly priced wine selections are the primary reasons why tables are so sought after. The authentic, time-tested Italian recipes on the menu are neither too heavy nor too spare. The pasta is carefully created in house with a variety of toppings and fillings. The black linguini in a spicy but light wine sauce with scallops, shrimp and clams is nothing short of amazing.
Yet there are patrons who always order the linguine with clams in a spicy white sauce or the fussily pasta with sauteed eggplants and a spicy but not overwhelming tomato sauce. Another memorable pasta selection is the penne alla Puttanesca with tomatoes, black olives, anchovies and capers.
The veal scallopini with mushrooms and marsala cream as well as the veal scallopini with prosciutto, fontina, and sage wine sauce are two items every veal lover must order. The sea scallops with fried zucchini melt in one’s mouth while the grilled salmon with pine nuts, basil and tomatoes is simply luscious. Meat lovers rave about the filet of beef in a red wine sauce that is delicate enough to enhance the meat without overpowering it.
If a diner is ever stumped as they peruse the wine list, the staff is adept at suggesting wines at any price point. Their suggestions are consistently excellent.
Become a frequent patron of a la Lucia and experience firsthand the comfortable elegance of this lovely eatery. Savor the experience at this North Old Town hot spot. The staff will make you feel right at home.
To learn more about a la Lucia or to host an event at the eatery, call 703-836-5123 or go to www. alalucia.com. Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner hours are 5 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday
A special advertising feature of the Alexandria Times.
