Luigi’s Tuscan Grill in Las Olas Serves Real Italian Food

Say the phrase “Italian food” and the usual carbohydrate overabundance comes to mind: lasagna, pizza, pasta, and more pasta. Luigi’s Tuscan Grill, however, is anything but a run of the mill starch joint.

Located by Sweet Nectar on bustling Las Olas, Luigi’s Tuscan Grill is about 21 years old. Hailing from Naples, Italy is Executive Chef Luigi Di Meo, whose recipes are said to have derived from both his grandmother and his mother. His cooking style boasts daily homemade pasta, local seafood, USDA Prime Aged Steaks and more. Yours truly, in fact, had the opportunity to try such items during a media dinner.

Served family style were three appetizers to kick off the feast. The Caprese Salad – Slices of fresh tomatoes, fresh Buffalo mozzarella and homemade basil pesto was the perfect combination of creamy and light, thanks to the decadent cheese. The Calamari Fritti – Fried Calamari with homemade spicy tomato sauce was not as fried as the typical versions of the dish, but it was the sauce that truly outdid the actual food itself. However, the appetizer that took the spotlight was Luigi’s Meatballs – Homemade meatballs with Marinara sauce. The soft ground beef simply melted on the tip of my tongue, and was simply heavenly. I was not ashamed to snag the last bite after reluctantly asking the person in front of me if they wanted it, which was immediately followed by a feeling of relief.

For the entrees, we were served a smaller version of the Rigatoni Bolognese – True Bolognese, San Marzano tomatoes, with beef, celery, carrots and onion. Ground beef proved to be Luigi’s true specialty, with this dish attesting to that fact. Not normally a huge fan of red sauce in general, I devoured every bite. Preceding was my choice of the second entrée Fresh Fish of the Day – Salmon with asparagus and mashed potatoes (the other being Chicken Piccata). Perhaps it was because it followed the outstanding ground beef dishes, but the salmon was not one of my favorite dishes of the night. Still, I cleaned my plate because, how could I not?

At the conclusion of the night was the Homemade Tiramisu and Chilled Limoncello.  I must admit that limocello has never been one for my palate as I deem all varieties to be reminiscent of Lemon Pledge. Nonetheless, the homemade tiramisu paired excellently with my red wine, as did the rest of the courses.

It should be noted that the food was not the only thing memorable about Luigi’s Tuscan Grill. The staff was extremely attentive, refilling water constantly and ensuring that we were content. For an authentic experience in Italy without paying a fortune for travel, Luigi’s Tuscan Grill is the place to go.

Luigi’s Tuscan Grill is located at 1105 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Call (954) 766-8700.

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