With that being said, da Vinci’s magnificence is honored by the imaginative, Da-
vid Neary, owner of Ristorante da Vinci. No expense was spared in the construction of what were originally old hangars and a flight school. He figured the third floor would be the perfect spot for the highly anticipated restaurant. Neary’s success continues to flourish and he shares the wealth by giving back to the community by partnering with various non-profit organizations. He and his team provide over five thousand meals to the needy each year. It has become a tradition on Thanksgiving to collaborate with the Salvation Army and serve turkey dinners all day long. Upon entering, my dining companion John and I were immediately struck
by the “wow factor” of the charming replication of Italy’s Renaissance Period. The ambience is quite romantic with its striking murals, tall marble columns, sweeping archways and cozy balconies. We were escorted to a table next to a window with spectacular views of the Long Beach Airport cityscape that transitioned radiantly from afternoon to evening. A special shout out to Danielle Dahlquist; she worked with me on facts and helped arrange the memorable dinner. She has been with the company
since its inception four years ago. Starting out as a server, she quickly worked her way up to Restaurant Manager and for good reason; she is a great people person. In fact, the entire crew was vibrant while giving diners the royal treatment. For me, a successful restaurant should have the correct balance of a savvy team and delicious food. Our server was the dynamic, Ana, who moonlights as a commercial photographer. She is a true restaurant veteran and took excellent care of us. Soon thereafter, we were greeted by Patrick Le Bras, who has a true dream job, General Manager and Sommelier. He presented some wonderful pairings of champagne and wines to accompany our feast. Le Bras prides himself in discovering unique, exclusive wines from all over the world and as a result has compiled a diverse, distinctive wine list. A former ski instructor with a degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management; this guy works hard and plays hard! We were served a tasty, well-rounded selection of starters balanced with a Villa Sandi,
II Fresco Prosecco Italian champagne. First was Amuse Bouche, a petite bite of halibut ceviche, basil oil, Italian red pepper oil on a thin slice of rainbow radish. The Calamari Agrodolce was one of my favorites, lightly breaded and fried, with an Italian sweet and sour dipping sauce. However, the big surprise was the Deconstructed Frozen Caprese, heirloom tomato and EVO sorbet with parmesan cream; aged Balsamic reduction gar- nished with a fried basil leaf and it was exquisite. We had the Cream of Parmesan Potato Soup with fresh truffles and it was orgasmic. On to salad: Finocchi, shaved fennel, grilled
artichokes, pickled red onion and Citrus Salad was popped with flavor. With our pasta course, Patrick served a Lescombe D’arneval 2009 Rose from Provence, France. From there we had two incredible pasta samplings: Fettuccine Di Limone, hand-cut fresh lemon pasta with spring veggies and Risotto Di Gamberetti, Aborio rice with shrimp, asparagus tips and folded in a citrus cream. For our main course I went for the Costata Di Manzo, ninety-day-aged 16-ounce New
York strip, grilled asparagus, and pancetta potato croquette with a red wine sauce. Oh my god, this was one the best steaks I have ever
tasted...thick, juicy and cooked to decadent perfection. John had the divine Agnello Alla Griglia, dried-rub grilled Napa rack of lamb accompanied with Sicilian caponata and a mint gremolata served with a La Jota 2003, Porcini Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. They have many intriguing entrée choices, as well as a marvelous cheese selection and creative dessert menu. Executive Chef, Joseph Gotti, an East Coast transplant, is an interesting gentleman
with an impressive background in the food industry. The son of a chef and restaurant owner, Chef Gotti, now a managing partner, has been working on his culinary skills since childhood. Along the way, he trained with Robert Curry, Michael Cremini and Wolfgang Puck, to name a few. He has worked at many fine dining restaurants through- out the U.S. and was awarded the prestigious “Best Chef of the Year” of 2007 from the Patina Group. His journey with Ristorante da Vinci began over a year and a half ago. His enthusiasm for fresh, organic seasonal food has elevated contemporary Italian cuisine to a new height while remaining loyal to classic components. After the pleasure of talk- ing with him, I was impressed by his conviction to use only the best quality ingredients, mouth-watering flavors and an alluring presentation. Two nights a week, scenic helicopter flights are available. “Friday Night Flights” is a
breathtaking tour package consisting of three wines that correspond with the flight over Long Beach’s coastline while “Soaring Saturdays” pairs the adventure with signa- ture hand-crafted martinis. Ristorante da Vinci also features one of the best happy hours in Long Beach with an
assortment of beer, wine and cocktails for only $5., with a wide variety of appetizers for only $7. Happy Hour is 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday with live jazz on Friday nights from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. A variety of private banquet rooms and areas to host events, large and small are available. The extended outdoor patio is also capable of hosting up to a hundred guests. And if that weren’t enough, the two large airport hangars on the bottom floor are for large-scale events up to a thousand. Open for lunch and dinner daily at 2901 E. Spring Street -3rd Floor, Long Beach. Reserva- tions at 562.685.8111 or
davincilb.com.
JULY 2010 | RAGE monthly 77
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