| Charming La Finestra inLafayette Is Well Worth Seeking Out -SF Chronicle, Bill Staggs |
| .Sicilian Restaurant .. |
| Business Hours Lunch Tuesday thru Friday 11:30 am to 2:30 pm Dinner Tuesday thru Sunday 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm 100 Lafayette Circle Lafayette, CA 94549 Tel (925) 284-5282 |
Nestled in a corner space among eucalyptus trees, La Finestra is a as out of the way as you can get in downtown Lafayette. This Italian eatery offers a pleasant atmosphere and a variety of Sicilian-influenced dishes at very reasonable prices. The menu opts for reliability over flashiness, with fresh pastas cooked with grilled chicken, fish, and vegetables. Heartier entr'ees include a marinated, flame-grilled pork chop stuffed with provolone cheese and prosciutto and jumbo prawns sauteed in spicy sauce. " Diablo Magazine " |
Dinner Menu Antipasti Antipasto Misto Platter of Grilled Zucchini, Eggplant, Potatoes, Mushrooms and Artichokes With Balsamic and Olive Oil Marinade……….$9.95 Gamberoni all’Uva Passa Jumbo Prawns Sautéed With Pine Nuts and Raisins in a Spicy Sauce Over Garlic Crostini……….$8.95 Involtini di Melanzane Grilled Eggplant Rolled and Stuffed With Ricotta and Romano Cheese in a Tomato Sauce……….$7.95 Polenta alla Contadina Wild Mushrooms Sautéed With Sun Dried Tomatoes In a Cream Sauce Over Grilled Polenta, Sprinkled With Parmigiana Cheese……...$7.95 Malfatti Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in a Sicilian Pesto Sauce, Sprinkled With Almonds ………$7.95 Scalone Abalone and Scallop Patty Sautéed With White Wine in Lemon Cream Sauce…$8.95 Zuppe Porcini in Brodo Imported Porcini Mushrooms in Creamy Vegetable Broth With Garlic Bruschetta….$5.95 Minestrone Bianco Minestrone Soup with Canellini Beans, Spinach, Tomatoes, Zucchini and Fusilli Pasta in a Light Creamy Vegetable Broth…. $4.95 |
Secondi Piatti Pollo Marsalese Chicken Breast Braised With Peas and Black Olives With Marsala Wine, Cream Sauce………$12.95 Pollo Parmigiana Chicken Breast With Parmigiana and Provolone Cheese With Tomato Basil Sauce………$12.95 Costoletta di Maiale Marinated, Flame Grilled Pork Chop Stuffed With Prosciutto and Cheese……...$14.95 Vitellina con Porcini Provini Veal Sautéed With Imported Porcini Mushrooms And White Wine Sauce……….$14.95 Gamberoni alla Diavola Jumbo Prawns Sautéed With Red Bell Peppers and Onion in a Spicy Garlic Tomato Sauce………..$14.95 Melanzane alla Parmigiana Thinly Sliced, Grilled Eggplant Sautéed in a Tomato Sauce With Provolone, Romano and Parmesan Cheese……….$12.95 Full Bar Special Drinks and Wine By Glasses |
Lunch Menu Antipasti Antipasto Misto Platter of Grilled Zucchini, Eggplant, Potatoes, Mushrooms and Artichoke With Balsamic and Olive Oil Marinade……….$8.95 Gamberoni all’Uva Passa Jumbo Prawns Sautéed With Pine Nuts and Raisins in a Spicy Sauce Over Garlic Crostini……….$7.95 Involtini di Melanzane Grilled Eggplant Rolled and Stuffed With Ricotta and Romano Cheese in a Tomato Sauce……….$6.95 Polenta alla Contadina Wild Mushrooms Sautéed With Sun Dried Tomatoes in a Cream Sauce Over Grilled Polenta, Sprinkled With Parmigiana Cheese……..$6.95 Malfatti Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings in a Sicilian Pesto Sauce………$6.95 Suppe Porcini in Brodo Imported Porcini Mushrooms in Creamy Vegetable Broth With Garlic Bruschetta……….$5.95 Minestrone Bianco Canellini Beans, Spinach, Tomatoes, Zucchini and Fusilli Pasta in a Light Creamy Vegetable Broth……...$4.95 Insalata Insalata Mista Mixed Baby Greens With Calamata Olives and Cherry Tomatoes in a Lemon and Almond Dressing….$4.95 Insalata dell’ Erbe Con Salsa Ericina Sliced Tomatoes With Salsa Ericina, Feta Cheese, Roasted Walnuts and Fresh Seasonal Herbs (Basil, Tarragon, Mint, Italian Parsley), with Mixed Baby Greens ……...$6.95 Insalata Finocchio Siciliana Thinly Sliced Fennel and Orange With Baby Greens in an Orange Flavored Olive Oil Dressing…….$6.95 Insalata Caprese Con Salsa Saracena Buffalo Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Basil With Baby Spinach, drizzled With Salsa Saracena……….$6.95 Insalata di Caesar Crisp Heart Of Romaine With Caesar Dressing……….$6.95 With Chicken……….$10.95 Insalata Mista con Pollo Grilled Boneless Chicken Breast With Mixed Baby Green, Mango, Dried Cranberries in a Lemon and Almond Dressing………$10.95 Insalata Salmone Arrosto Roasted Salmon With Baby Spinach, Mango, Bermuda Onions, Hard Boiled Eggs, Dried Cranberries and Pine Nuts, Tossed With Honey Mustard Vinaigrette…………$12.95 Insalata di Gambero Grilled Marinated Jumbo Prawns, With Lemon Garlic Over Baby Green and Olive Oil Balsamic Dressing……….$12.95 |
| Primi Piatti Penne alla Norma Con Pollo Penne Pasta With Chicken and Roasted Eggplant in a Spicy Tomato Sauce……….$10.95 Fettuccine al Gambero Fettuccine Pasta Tossed With Jumbo Prawns, Oyster Mushrooms, Spinach, Tomatoes, in a light Curry Cream Sauce, Sprinkled With Parmigiana Cheese……….$12.95 Cappelini con Pollo Cappelini Pasta With Chicken, Porcini Mushrooms and Capers in a Light Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce, Sprinkled With Parmigiana Cheese……….$10.95 Gnocchi ai Funghi Potato Dumplings With Wild Mushrooms in a Brown Butter Sage Sauce……….$8.95 Penne alla Carbonara Penne Pasta With Pancetta, Onions and Peas in a Rich Egg Cream Sauce……….$8.95 Rigatoni di Parma Rigatoni Pasta With Proscuitto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach in a light Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, Sprinkled With Parmigiana Cheese……….$10.95 Fusilli all’Ortolana Fusili With Carrots, Zucchini, Artichokes and Olives in a Fresh Tomato Sauce……….$8.95 Penne Con Salsicce Penne Pasta With Italian Sausage and Mushrooms, In a Tomato Cream Sauce……….$10.95 Secondi Piatti (All Entrées Are Served With Sautéed Garlic Vegetables) Pollo allaMarsalese Chicken Breast Braised With Peas and Black Olives in a Creamy Marsala Sauce………$10.95 Pollo Parmigiana Chicken Breast With Parmigiana and Provolone Cheese With Tomato Basil Sauce………$10.95 Pollo al Vino Rosso Chicken Breast Stuffed With Pancetta, Sage and Provolone Cheese in a Barolo Wine Sauce………$10.95 Vitellina con Porcini Provini Veal Sautéed With Imported Porcini Mushrooms in a White Wine Sauce……….$12.95 Gamberoni alla Diavola Jumbo Prawns Sautéed With Red Bell Peppers and Onion in a Spicy Garlic Tomato Sauce………..$12.95 Melanzane alla Parmigiana Thinly Sliced, Grilled Eggplant Sautéed in a Tomato Sauce With Provolone and Romano Cheese……….$10.95 Dolci, Gelati, Frutta Desserts Bacio “ Kiss” Hazel Nut Chocolate Soufflé, Baked in Oven and Served Warm (Allow 20 minutes to bake)………$ 7.00 Tiramisu Lady Fingers With Mascarpone Cheese, Rum and Espresso………$ 6.00 Semifreddo Frozen Cappuccino Mousse With Vanilla Pizzelle on a Bed Of Custard and Chocolate Syrup………$ 6.00 Spumoni Italian Gelato With Candy Fruits and Pistachios…$5.00 Tart Custard Filled Tart With Assorted Berries, Topped With Whipped Cream ………$7.00 Cannoli Cannoli Shells, Filled With Candy Fruit and Ricotta Impastata………$6.00 |
| Prefixed Menus to Choose From For Your Private Parties, Private Banquet room up to 45 people is located on the second floor. For booking the banquet room please contact Jeff Assadi @ 925 519 3500 |
| Private Banquet Room is available for Birthday parties, and Corporate Meetings Every day. For more information call 925-284-5282 |
Insalate Insalata Mista Mixed Baby Greens With Calamata Olives and Sliced Tomato, Tossed With Lemon and Almond Dressing……...$4.95 Insalata Finocchio Siciliana Thinly Sliced Fennel and Orange With Baby Greens in an Orange Flavored Olive Oil Dressing…….$6.95 Insalata Caprese Con Salsa Saracena Buffalo Mozzarella, Sliced Tomatoes and Basil With Baby Spinach, drizzled With Salsa Saracena……….$6.95 Insalata di Caesar Crisp Heart Of Romaine, An Anchovy Filet and Croutons With Caesar Dressing, Sprinkled With Parmigiana Cheese...$6.95 Insalata dell’ Erbe Con Salsa Ericina Sliced Tomatoes With Salsa Ericina, Feta Cheese, Roasted Walnuts and Fresh Seasonal Herbs (Basil, Tarragon, Mint, Italian Parsley), with Mixed Baby Greens ……...$6.95 Primi Piatti Penne alla Norma Con Pollo Penne Pasta With Chicken and Roasted Eggplant in a Spicy Tomato Sauce……….$12.95 Fettuccine al Gambero Fettuccine Pasta Tossed With Jumbo Prawns, Oyster Mushrooms, Spinach, Tomatoes, in a light Curry Cream Sauce, Sprinkled with Parmigiana Cheese ……….$14.95 Cappelini Con Pollo Cappelini Pasta With Chicken, Porcini Mushrooms and Capers in a Light Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce, Sprinkled with Parmigiana Cheese. ….….$12.95 Gnocchi ai Funghi Potato Dumplings With Wild Mushrooms in a Brown Butter Sage Sauce……….$9.95 Penne alla Carbonara Penne Pasta With Pancetta, Onions and Peas in a Rich Egg Cream Sauce……….$10.95 Rigatoni di Parma Rigatoni Pasta With Proscuitto, Gorgonzola Cheese and Spinach in a Light Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce, Sprinkled with Parmigiana Cheese……….$12.95 Fusilli all’Ortolana Fusili With Carrots, Zucchini, Artichokes and Olives in a Fresh Tomato Sauce……….$9.95 Penne alla Salsicce Penne Pasta With Mild Italian Sausage and Mushrooms, In a Tomato Cream Sauce……….$12.95 |
| La Finestra is the Perfect Venue For Your Corporate Dinner and Cocktail Parties. Please send your inquires to jeffassadi@yahoo.com |
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Published May 13th, 2009 " A Window to the World in Lafayette " By Susie Iventosch
La Finestra chef-owner Jeff Assadi, right, and waiter Tony Lavino, left
My husband and I took his dad out to La Finestra last week, to celebrate his birthday. We chose this particular restaurant due to its close proximity and terrific
reputation. And more importantly, the birthday boy has always enjoyed its food and charming location, nestled amongst giant eucalyptus trees on Lafayette
Circle.
The experience certainly lived up to our expectations and the fun-loving waiter, Tony Lavino, was excellent, too. He covered that restaurant like nobody's
business, serving up meal after delicious meal with impeccable timing.
Chef-owner, Jeff Assadi, is just about the nicest restaurant chef I've ever met. His love of cooking is evident in the quality, taste and presentation of his cuisine,
but he is also a most gracious and inviting host.
Now, I am not a restaurant critic by trade, but I am a professional talker, and I really enjoyed getting to know Chef Jeff better the following day. He took me on a
tour of his restaurant, starting with the front of the house, then onto the quaint upstairs banquette room, and finally into the kitchen, where he prepared his
fabulous "Polenta alla Contadina" just for me!
This grilled polenta appetizer is served with a robust sauce of wild mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, parsley and cream, finished with a sprinkling of
Parmesan cheese. Jeff not only shared the recipe, but he showed me exactly how to replicate it at home. As a polenta lover from way back, this made me very
happy! He said he'd show me his recipe for lamb shanks on another day. Sounds great to me.
As Jeff described his love of cooking, he told me that every dish (with the exception of lasagna, cannelloni and lamb shanks) is made to order - every single
serving, including his minestrone and porcini soups! With a small restaurant, he is able to put his heart into every meal. Though he has a bachelor's degree in
engineering, cooking is his passion and it really shows.
For 16 years, Jeff worked for Faz Restaurants overseeing new restaurant openings and operations. This work inspired him to own a restaurant himself one day,
so when La Finestra founder Andrea Ditta was looking for a buyer in 2003, it didn't take Jeff long to sign up!
"Faz Poursohi is still a really good friend and I learned so much from him and all of his chefs over the years," he said. "But I am so happy here, cooking for my
customers in my own restaurant. I really enjoy it."
In 2005, Jeff took a mini-sabbatical to Italy with his family.
"I visited both the front and the back of the house in many restaurants in Florence and Venice," he noted. "It was a great way to learn about the Italian menus
and to see how they operate in their kitchens."
While there, he took a series of photographs with a focus on "windows" since La Finestra means "the window" in Italian. Although Jeff claims to be an amateur
photographer, patrons will be impressed with his gallery of Italian windows adorning the restaurant!
La Finestra is available for private parties and event catering in
addition to regular dining hours.
Please visit
www.lafinestraristorante.com
for menus and information
100 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette, (925) 284-5282
Lunch Hours: Tue. thru Fri.
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 5 to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m.
Photo Susie Iventosch
RECIPE
Polenta alla Contadina
(Serves 4)
Note -- Jeff does not use exact measuring cup-type measurements. He cooks more by feel, tossing in a handful of this and a pinch of that … and the result is
fabulous. I’ve tried to use measurements here, for our readers, but if you wish to taste the recipe exactly as he cooks it, it is really best to take a night on the
town and dine at La Finestra!
Polenta
1 cup polenta (enriched cornmeal)
3 cups water
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon crumbled “sweet” gorgonzola cheese
(gorgonzola aged approximately 3 months)
Pinch salt and pepper
Heat water to boiling, add cream and gorgonzola cheese. Slowly add polenta, stirring or whisking all the while. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 30 to
40 minutes, stirring often. When very thick, turn into greased dish, such as a bread pan, until set. Chill until ready to use. Then slice into ¾ inch slices,
approximately 3 inches square. Set aside, or refrigerate until ready to use.
Wild Mushroom Sauce
1-2 tablespoons oil
(7/8 canola oil, and 1/8 olive oil)
3 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced (combination of fresh shitake and
oyster mushrooms and a little bit of dried porcini)
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
¼-1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ -3/4 cup heavy cream (this is a guess … adjust as you see fit for your family!)
Preheat a frying pan to very hot. Add oil, then garlic and mushrooms. Cook until
mushrooms begin to brown, stirring or tossing occasionally. Add sun dried tomatoes,
heat and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add parsley and cream.
Cook until just until slightly thickened.
Spoon over grilled polenta and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately.
Reach the reporter at: suziven@gmail.com
Photo Susie Iventosch