Address: | 1012 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA |
Phone: | +1 410-783-9209 |
Site: | lascaladining.com |
Rating: | 4.5 |
Working: | 4:30–10PM 4:30–10PM 4:30–10PM 4:30–10PM 4:30–11PM 4:30–11PM 2–10PM |
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Holland McGee
As a self-proclaimed skeptic and connoisseur of authentic Italian food, I am rarely as surprised by a dining experience as I was by my evening at La Scala Ristoranti Italiano in Baltimore Maryland. The warm welcome of our driver George during happy hour was a telling prelude to a truly inviting old world atmosphere. One by one, staff arrived in impeccable fashion, dressed and perfectly pressed for an evening of note-worthy service. The personal reception of the restaurants owner Nino was made even more genuine by the insightful suggestions he offered ensure a truly unique dining experience to our party of five. Like many restauranteurs, Nino circulated the main dining room and took time to answer questions from patrons about menu items but he set himself apart by introducing us to members of his own family who happened to be dining this particular evening. Hearing him speak so sweetly about his niece Gionna and her love of dance was heartwarming because he spoke of his familys restaurant with the same deliberate yet delicate manner. Did I mention that one member of our group is paralyzed and wheelchair bound? Dont let the vintage building with authentic staircases limit you to drooling from the sidewalk. The gentlemen of la Scala escorted my friend onto a wheelchair lift that allowed her to explore the various levels of our new favorite restaurant. And in an over-the-top showing of chivalry, they helped her to a seat at the bar among friends where she could fully enjoy the mixology of Bulat, who poured each drink with precision, proving to be a master of his craft. They discreetly tucked her wheelchair out of site and It was the first time she has joined us seated in an elevated lounge setting since before her paralysis over a year ago. The classic setting of this establishment is overwhelming. It is complimented by the expertly chosen staff who made us feel like we had come to dine in the familiar kitchen of my own Italian family rather than just another eatery in Baltimore. The selection of meats and cheeses in the antipasto was impressive and the homemade pasta speaks for itself...but the grilled Caesar salad was the best Ive ever had and the Espresso Martini was as delicious as it was beautiful. If you are in Baltimore, do yourself a favor and see what all the fuss is about. You wont be disappointed. And if there is a wait, ask Bulat to pull out a frosty copper mug so you can enjoy a refreshing Moscow Mule while you walk downstairs to the indoor Bocci ball court. You will be seated among friends in no time, Once the parade of palate-pleasing dishes subsides, find room to grace the tips of your lips with just a drop or two of lemoncello... And please, if you should be lucky enough to meet Nino or George or Bulat, please relay to the gentlemen of la Scala sincere gratitude from a group of rowdy Carolina girls. Holland McGee Antinori-Perozzi Topsail Island, NC
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Laura Humphries
This is hands down our #1 favorite restaurant -- maybe ever. The reasons are simple: the food is always just extremely good; the service is always extremely friendly, accommodating and efficient; and the atmosphere is very nice, cozy, and romantic no matter which room you sit in. That said, we really enjoy sitting at one of the few back tables in the bar area - a fun time without being too loud. Another great place to sit is in the small alcove upstairs by the wine room. Very romantic. I have never had a bad dish here, ever. And if you have special dietary needs they always accommodate. I was going gluten - free for awhile and they will make any pasta dish GF for you - and plenty of entrees that are naturally GF. We also enjoy sitting at the bar on Sundays to eat when it is just the two of us. Not sure if they still have this but weve been several times for their sunday happy hour during which they have several drink specials and a menu of $5 apps and small pasta plates. A pretty good deal and fun to try different things. The owner is very nice here as well - whenever weve eaten in the bar he comes by and says hello -- hes not so much visible in the dining rooms but nevertheless weve met him and hes a pleasure to talk to. The great thing about this place is that it is just spot on in every way, always. No hit or miss. Just always an excellent time - so weve never hesitated to bring friends here. Weve brought half a dozen or so couples here over the years and they all end up loving it like we do. Its great to have a no-fail place like this. Just a word of warning though - dont walk any further down Eastern Avenue than this restaurant. We were with another couple one night and wanted to go for another drink after we left LA Scala. The valet sent us to the bar next door and it was a bit of a rough crowd to be honest. We got lots of strange looks and all in our party were very uncomfortable enough to leave as quick as we arrived. Just gets a little iffy further down past the restaurant so if you want to go somewhere afterwards head a few blocks over to Ouzo Bay -- theyre open late and serve snacks pretty late. Weve never had dinner there but thats next on our list! Prepare for a really nice treat when you go to La Scala!
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yetty oreagba
Beautiful restaurant. Excellent food. Great service. Granted I went here for the first time, I was very impressed. Located right at the beginning of your venture into Little Italy, La Scala had heaters burning outside, the option to valet your car, a neon light shining onto the sidewalk that read La Scala, and a beautiful brick front entrance that welcomed you in. We were sure to make a reservation on OpenTable and were seated immediately upon arrival. As we ascended two flights of stairs I noticed the variety of seating available in large, small, and more intimate settings. Each table was softly lit by a candle and our waiter took our drink order within 5 mins of us being seated. They have an extensive alcohol menu & the cutest single serve Moet bottles for their by the glass selection. Our waiter brought out the yummiest complimentary green bean & red potato salad tossed in what I believe was balsamic vinaigrette, parmesan cheese, & smashed garlic & some bread. Im not a foodie & I was blown away by my plate. I look forward to dining at La Scala in the near future.
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A Private User
This is the worst service ive ever received in a restaurant, fine dining or otherwise. Stay away! Food is great, but the service from management is terrible. I inadvertently ordered the wrong type of pasta, ate none of it, notified server of issue, only to later learn that the chef, who is also the owner, REFUSED TO MAKE ME A replacement dish and intended to charge me the full amount for the dish i didnt want and didnt eat. REFUSED TO HELP, i guess i wasnt welcome there, I guess the cost of replacing food is too expensive there to tend to customers concerns. And they call themselves FINE DINING??? STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY! Patronize a real fine dining restaurant that cares about its customers. Ive never heard of a fine dining restaurant refusing to re-make or substitue an unwanted food order. Goodness, was the cost of making some replacement pasta that horrific to the owner? It wasnt steak, or lobster. Just some measy pasta, and the owner/chef absolutely refused to assist.