LA VOLPE WELL WORTH SAMPLING.Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic A pizza pan Pizza Pan is a chain of pizza shops located mostly in northeast Ohio. They are the self-proclaimed "original home of the free pizza," as customers who buy one pizza at regular price can get two more for free with pickup, or one more for free with delivery. resting on the top of the small boulevard patio's railing has a pizza in it, but there are no diners sitting at the handful of tables in front of the new La Volpe restaurant in Tarzana. A couple of teen-age girls saunter by and they spot the sliced pizza. It becomes rather interesting to watch them from a conveniently placed table inside the restaurant. Furtively fur·tive adj. 1. Characterized by stealth; surreptitious. 2. Expressive of hidden motives or purposes; shifty. See Synonyms at secret. , they both grab a slice and run off, like they're doing something wrong. They aren't. La Volpe purposely has put out the pan of pizza for anyone passing by to try. Whether the idea of free samples as an enticement will work or not, La Volpe does make pretty good pizzas. And in view of the number of occupied tables during review visits - never more than two at lunch or dinner times, the pizza giveaway ploy appears to make some sense. La Volpe also is fighting the plethora of pasta and pizza places already established in the area, including the popular Fabrocini's almost directly across the street. But La Volpe has its own distinctive charm, serving tasty Neapolitan-style fare in a roomy, casual trattoria-style cafe its decor dominated by giant black-and-white movie stills and news photos, most of them of Sophia Loren, including the famous one of Loren looking sideway, somewhat disapprovingly, at Jayne Mansfield's abundant cleavage. Gina Lollobrigida and Marcello Mastroianni also grace La Volpe's walls. Once you take your eyes off these intriguing pictures and look at the menu, remember that you should think twice before ordering an appetizer here, because the kitchen sends out little complimentary tidbits TidBITS is an award-winning electronic newsletter and web site dealing primarily with Apple Computer and Macintosh-related topics. Internet publication TidBITS has been published weekly since April 16, 1990, which makes it one of the longest running Internet publications. while diners wait for upcoming dishes. Consequently, you could end up stuffed before your entree arrives. One day there were arancini - deep-fried little rice- and cheese-stuffed munchies munchies Substance abuse A popular term for the craving for salt-rich and/or high-carbohydrate 'junk food,' associated with use of marijuna, amphetamines, and other recreational drugs. See Junk food. , these sausage-shaped instead of the usual spherical ones - and grilled eggplant and zucchini slices. Another time it was tiny versions of bruschetta bruschetta Noun an Italian open sandwich of toasted bread topped with olive oil and tomatoes, olives, etc [Italian] , slices of pizza and more arancini. La Volpe whips up a good soup du jour (cup $2.45, bowl $3.50) at lunch, a spicy lentil lentil, leguminous Old World annual plant (Lens culinaris) with whitish or pale blue flowers. Its pods contain two greenish-brown or dark-colored seeds, also called lentils, which when fully ripe are ground into meal or used in soups and stews. , and for noontime noon·time n. See noon. eaters it was available with any half-sandwich for $5.95. So, the Milanese chicken breast on a French roll with lettuce, tomato and mozzarella moz·za·rel·la n. A mild white Italian cheese that has a rubbery texture and is often eaten melted, as on pizza. [Italian, diminutive of mozza, a cut, mozzarella, from mozzare, turned out to be a pretty good choice. But the pizza pick is the star here, called capricciosa ($7.95 for the medium size) - lightly brushed with marinara ma·ri·na·ra adj. Being or served with a sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices: spaghetti marinara. n. Marinara sauce. , sprinkled with mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage and buffalo mozzarella - it comes up with a fresh floury crust and welcome topping restraint, especially its sauce and cheese. La Volpe's kitchen also knows how to make dry pastas properly, with just enough al dente quality and thankfully not smothered smoth·er v. smoth·ered, smoth·er·ing, smoth·ers v.tr. 1. a. To suffocate (another). b. To deprive (a fire) of the oxygen necessary for combustion. 2. with gloppy sauce. This is clearly shown in its penne all'arabbiatta ($7.25), an adequately portioned bowl, simply tossed with a fresh tomato mixture, a touch of olive oil, Parmesan and a hint of spicy pepper flakes. Stuffed pastas are just as good. Tortellini alla panna ($8.45) comes forth without being hard little things, in fact quite the opposite. The tender pasta rings, stuffed with ricotta ri·cot·ta n. 1. A soft Italian cheese that resembles cottage cheese. 2. A similar soft cheese made in the United States. and paired with little squares of Italian ham and a scattering of peas in a subtle creamy sauce, point to a light hand in the kitchen and a careful attempt to retain freshness and moisture. Less successful is the broiled broil 1 v. broiled, broil·ing, broils v.tr. 1. To cook by direct radiant heat, as over a grill or under an electric element. 2. To expose to great heat. v. swordfish swordfish, large food and game fish, Xiphias gladius, of the warmer Atlantic and Pacific waters, related to the sailfish. It is named for its sharp, broad, elongated upper jaw, which it uses to flail and pierce its prey of smaller fish, rising beneath a school ($11.75), which displayed areas of dryness, though saved to a degree by a lemony caper sauce. But slices of moist chicken breast that had been sauteed with white wine, garlic and herbs ($10.45) and served with well-browned, roasted potatoes, proved to be an appetizing - if not volcanic - entree as pollo Vesuvio. La Volpe, with Italian spoken freely by its owning family, some who work there and some who hang out there, is a friendly, rather discordant little restaurant, obviously with the best of intentions. It opens early enough for the breakfast crowd and tries to stay available for cinemagoers to the Mann theaters across the street. It's not only worth looking into, but you may get lucky and find a pan of free pizza wedges on its patio rail. THE FACTS The restaurant: La Volpe. Where: 18621 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. When: Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. nightly. Recommended items: Capricciosa or margherita pizza, arancini, soup du jour, penne all'arabbiatta, tortellini all panna, pollo Vesuvio, milanese chicken breast sandwich, espresso. How much: Starters from $2.75 to $8.25 (enough for four), pastas and entrees from $7.25 to $12, desserts from $2.50 to $3. No alcohol. AE, MC, V. Wine list: Application for beer and wine license planned in future. Reservations: Helpful. Call (818) 881-6133. Our rating: Three Stars for food; Three Stars for service. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: La Volpe chef Marco Colombo, left, owner Camillo Mazzeo and owner-manager Paulo Volpe with some of the fare available at the Tarzana restaurant. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News |
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