La Fourno
636 South St.
215-627-9000
Credit cards accepted
Wheelchair-accessible, but tables a bit close together in dining room
Open daily for lunch and dinner
I clearly recall the first time I enjoyed dinner at La Fourno. It was a hot summer night and South Street was filled with tourists and just about everyone else in the city. Proprietor Steve Pissanos greeted his customers and made them feel at home. Every dish my husband and I sampled was delicious, especially the cool calamari salad.
I recently discovered that Pissanos sold La Fourno to Al Grafstrom, who had been a regular for a number of years. Edward and I returned to the restaurant recently and happily found that it’s as good as ever.
The open kitchen has large windows that front on South Street. You can enjoy pizza or pasta at a high-top table or head for the cozy informal dining room. Edward and I settled into a table for four and discussed the menu.
Patrons of all ages were dining at La Fourno. A couple in their 60s arrived just when we did; several groups of 20-somethings were digging into bowls of pasta while a dad with his two young sons eagerly awaited their pizza.
We ordered a bottle of Australian Shiraz ($18), which we knew would pair well with trattoria fare. Our smiling waitress told us about the specials and brought us hot rectangular rolls made from fresh pizza dough. A bowl of deep-green extra-virgin olive oil dusted with herbs arrived for dipping.
I began dinner with grilled calamari ($8.95), which consisted of a generous portion of mid-sized squid, grilled and served warm. They were laced with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice and were tender — and, to my surprise, a few tentacles were included on the plate. When calamari are grilled just right, they don’t taste like a garden hose. These beauties were delicious. Some ripe tomato and sweet red onions were included, as well.
Artichokes Romano ($6.95) was another delicious surprise. I thought the chef would simply saut� some artichoke hearts. When our waitress set the plate before me, I realized I was about to enjoy one of my favorite dishes — carciofi alla giudia, crisp-fried whole baby artichokes. The only other chef I know who prepares them is Roman-born Alberto Del Bello at Tiramisu and Il Portico. There were at least a half-dozen fresh baby artichokes in my antipasto. The tough outer leaves had been removed, and each artichoke was flattened and fried to a golden brown. They arrived piping hot, crisp and free of grease. I could have eaten a dozen of them.
With all the chicken and turkey I have been eating lately, I wanted a pasta dish. Edward wanted chicken. I opted for potato gnocchi in a gorgonzola sauce ($11.95). Although the little dumplings could have been lighter to my taste, the sauce was divine. A perfect white sauce was prepared, with bits of slightly salty imported gorgonzola added as it simmered. The texture was as fine as its taste. The sauce was smooth and silky and never separated on the plate. The ingredients were in perfect balance and proportion.
All pasta courses come with a house salad. A mix of greens, some ripe tomato and sliced red onions were tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Edward and I thought the salad was dressed with too much balsamic vinegar, but this is a matter of taste.
The chicken Marsala ($11.95) had an unusual flavor. The chef used a sweet Marsala dessert wine instead of the dry variety. First, he pounded two boneless chicken breast halves and saut�ed them with fresh sliced mushrooms. The wine was added and reduced a bit before it was spooned onto the chicken and served. Edward and I prefer chicken or veal Marsala prepared with dry wine, but again, this is a matter of personal taste. The chicken was tender and not a bit overcooked.
Edward asked our waitress if he could substitute spinach for the side of pasta. A mound of fresh spinach, glistening with olive oil and garlic, arrived on the plate. It was piping hot and perfectly cooked. Saut�ed baby spinach is fast becoming "the" side dish of choice in any number of restaurants, Italian or otherwise.
La Fourno is such a delightful restaurant. It’s so good to see smiling patrons of all ages enjoying their dinner. I know a couple with a young daughter who live a few blocks from La Fourno. They have dinner there at least once a week. And why not? The bill of fare offers something for everyone at very moderate prices. There’s nothing more than $14.95, and that’s for a strip-steak special. The list of pastas is dazzling, from a simple plate of ravioli in red sauce to any number of shellfish pasta dishes, which can be ordered in either red sauce or white. You also build your own pizza.
Service was excellent throughout dinner. Two servers took good care of the nearly filled dining room. On the way out, I noticed all the fine press La Fourno has received through the years. Each one, including this reviewer’s from a few years ago, was framed and hung on the wall. I met Grafstrom on the way out. (He did not know I was reviewing the restaurant.) He was tucking into a salad in the front room, and greeting customers just as Pissanos used to.
La Fourno was and still is a fine example of a moderately priced trattoria that serves simple fare, and is the perfect place for families, especially kids who relish thin-crust pizza baked in a brick oven.
Three tips of the toque to La Fourno.
