La Grotta Ristorante Italiano is not a private club, but it feels special when you take a subterranean elevator ride, then are greeted with effusive, yet genuine, hospitality. The restaurant, open since 1978, has a vintage, romantic ambience, with soft lighting, wine and a splendid patio draped in greenery.
But I had the strongest urge to cuddle up with ravioli.
At La Grotta, the ravioloni con caprino is simply a larger version of ravioli, stuffed with goat cheese, apple and celery, and served in a light butter sauce bespeckled with strips of sun-dried tomato. The sauce is vibrant, yet light enough that it harmonizes with the pleasant sharpness of the creamy cheese. The dough used for the plump packages is resilient, yet tender and savory. Altogether, a forkful of this dish is velvety, with tart acidity from the interplay of tomato and cheese, and a good, leathery chew from the shards of tomato.
An added bonus is that La Grotta’s pasta dishes come in half-size or entree-size portions, so you can try this as well as chef Daniel Chance’s nightly specials.
La Grotta Ristorante Italiano. 2637 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta. 404-231-1366, lagrottaatlanta.com
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