Opened in November, Luella Ristorante (a showroom and restuarant in one) was inspired by owner/designer, Romeo Lau's recent trip to Tuscany. And, how many Italian restaurants do you know that also have one of our Chinese favorites - Duck Tongue - on the menu?
Romeo didn't spare any expenses on the interior, which was designed in Shanghai Art Deco fashion (Romeo also designs for Ralph Lauren, which can be seen in the dark, rich colors). Beautiful restaurants commonly disappoint when it comes to the food (you can't have everything, right?), but Luella's fare bucked this trend, as the food was delicious.
We started with the surprisingly good Spinach Pizza (no tomato sauce), which was cooked in a gas oven, but the thin and crispy crust fooled us into thinking it was cooked in a wood-burning oven. Next, we tried the Beverly Oyster appetizer, which featured two huge oysters smothered with melted cheese, chopped tomatoes, yellow peppers, and onions. A little different and not so bad.
The big surprise came with the soup - a classic cream bean with a swirl of ricotta cheese. Clearly, the chef knows how to make soups - so if you are headed to Luella and enjoy a good bowl, do yourself a favor and try one.
The entrees of Beef & Shrimp and Lamb Shank were good, but after the soup, they didn't compare in flavor. If you have room for dessert, the Mousse Cake (not yet on the menu when we dined), was pretty tasty.
One other note - if you like the chairs, tables, plates, silverware or anything else you see in the restaurant, head next door to the Luella Home Store, as all items were designed by Romeo and are available for sale.