[Restaurant Review
Authentic Italian in the Heart of North Park
Florencias Ristorante and Pizzeria has occupied the quaint shop on University Avenue for over ten years now. During this time, it has always remained family-owned and run by Mikel Lorja, a man that has been in the restaurant business for over 18 years. Through Mikel’s inspired dishes and dedication to his customers, Florencias has become a thriving restaurant amidst the animated shops of North Park.
A parking spot quickly opens just as I pull up on the same block as the welcoming storefront of Florencias. As I approach the restaurant, the first feature I notice is a podium offering up a menu to passersby interested in ordering to-go. This option is a popular one, with the to-go menu just as varied as the dine-in menu. Florencias offers delivery to many residential neighborhoods and hotels—free of charge. Late hours also serve to entice diners, as this restaurant is open until 2:00 am every night. I flip through this introductory menu quickly before taking in the rest of the entrance. A few tables are available for romantic patio seating, adorned with crisp white tablecloths and candles that have yet to be lit in the receding daylight.
Upon entering the restaurant, we are greeted with small, sculpted depictions of historic Italian battles hung on the walls above a welcoming row of burgundy booths located along the left-hand wall of the restaurant. Pictures of modern day Italy also draw our attention, while faux ivy vines wrap themselves around wine bottles on display against the walls. Covered tables topped with candles frame the walkway up to the front of the restaurant, where diners can head if they are looking for take-out, and where a friendly hostess smiles and greets us as we walk up.
Although the booths are tempting, my guest and I opt for one of the tables close to the kitchen. As we settle into our high-backed wooden chairs, we are brought water with lemon and the extensive menu by our server, Mabel. We flip through our menu, unsure of what to order with so many options; the salads, appetizers, pastas, and a long list of pizzas all seem so appealing to our eager stomachs. Certain dishes especially catch my eye, such as the Chicken Pomodoro Sub, the Baked Zitti, and the Jumbo Shrimp Alfredo Fettucine. Before long, Mikel Lorja himself saunters over to our table to make his introduction. The boisterous and perpetually smiling owner keeps us entertained for the entire meal, first offering his recommendations of some of the most popular dishes. We close our menus and let him decide what to serve us; after all, he knows best!
Before taking away our menus, he also highlights the many deals that he offers to customers on a daily basis. A special lunch menu offers some of the most popular dishes such as Lasagna and Cheesy Bread Sticks at a steal for only $5.50. Other deals include family specials and a prix-fixe dinner-for-two menu that offers couples their choice of two of the most popular dishes, such as the Cannelloni or Jumbo Ravioli. These dishes include Garlic Bread and the choice of soup or salad to complete the meal.
Mikel then brings out a bottle of red wine for us to sample, a 2007 Montepulcian d’Abruzzo from Borgo Reale. This dry, tart wine promises to go well with the food. It is clean and doesn’t linger, offering a perfect complement to the many dishes we are soon to sample. Their selection of wine changes often, but features a good balance of by-the-glass and bottle options. While the selection is limited, it is thoughtful and exemplifies knowledge of wine. The prices for the wine are on par with those of the food. After serving us the wine, Mikel retires to the kitchen to oversee the preparation of our food by the Chef Giovanni.
Presently, individual House Salads are brought out to our table. Before even taking a bite, we are struck by the colorful presentation of this appetizer. Classic romaine leaves are topped with juicy red tomatoes, black olives, pepporoncini, red onions, and mozzarella cheese, and are seasoned with fragrant basil. The vinaigrette dressing completes the dish as a formidable counterpart to the crunchy, fresh romaine leaves and juicy tomatoes. The dressing does not overpower the dish, instead helping to accentuate the fresh taste of all the other ingredients.
The next dish out of the kitchen is the plate of Cheesy Bread Sticks, which we are told by both Mabel and Mikel are the most popular appetizer on the menu. With the smell of the warm, fresh bread topped with parmesan cheese, we understand why these bread sticks are in such high demand. A surprise greets us as we pull apart the fluffy loaves—mozzarella cheese melted inside of the bread adds to the appeal of this already appetizing starter. As we dig in, the fresh taste of the bread leads us to flag down Mabel and ask how this dish is prepared. She tells us the secret to the success of this restaurant: all of the ingredients, including the bread and pizza dough, are made fresh, in-house, every day. Biting into the soft and slightly sweet bread before getting to the warm, cheesy interior makes us appreciative of the bakers’ hard work.
The Pizza Margherita comes out next, served on a metal pizza dish to keep warm. The thin crust is cooked to perfection—crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The presentation of this pizza makes our mouths water, with the ripe, red tomatoes and fresh basil covered in melted mozzarella cheese. As we bite in, the freshness of the ingredients again takes us by surprise. Mikel seizes this opportunity to astound us with another fun fact: Florencias Ristorante and Pizzeria makes approximately 150 pounds of fresh pizza dough daily. This dough is offered not only for the long list of specialty pizzas, but also for the calzones.
Before we can finish appreciating the flawless crust of our pizza, our next entrée arrives: the Meat Lasagna served hot in a porcelain dish. The consistency of this dish is right on point. Each layer of this lasagna is allowed to shine on its own merit—the homemade pasta holds its own against the expertly seasoned but not overpowering meat. The amount of sauce allows all the ingredients to come together and mingle on our palates.
Mabel then brings us the Fettuccine in Creamy Alfredo Sauce, the entrée I have been anticipating the most. This dish is just as the name promised: fettuccine noodles bathed in a creamy sauce seasoned with garlic. Herbs sprinkled around the edge of the dish add a tasteful garnish that doesn’t last long as we serve ourselves family-style. Twirling the long pasta noodles around my fork, I lead the first bite to my mouth. The sauce looks so creamy on the plate that the pleasantly light consistency of it surprises and delights me. The fact that the sauce is not thick or over powering permits the fresh taste of the pasta to come out, and mix with the flavor of the noodles at work within the dish. Although I have had Fettuccine Alfredo before, it has never given my taste buds such pleasure as Florencias’ version.
Our final entrée is the Chicken Picatta served with warm Garlic Bread. The thin noodles are lightly covered in a white wine sauce and topped with a generous serving of chicken. Capers are found throughout this decadent pasta, while an herb garnish decorates the edge of the serving plate. This dish quickly finds its way to my mouth. The chicken is expertly seasoned with a lemon flavor that accentuates the pleasant moisture that is retained within the meat. This flavor is complemented by the pasta noodles and capers. The garlic bread, which sits in a quaint wicker basket, is my next victim. The satisfying crunch gives way to the subtle hint of garlic and butter. The pasta and bread combination play off each other nicely to create a tasty end to our dining adventure.
While we enjoyed our meal, I had failed to notice that the sunlight that had been pouring through the large window at the front of the restaurant had slowly disappeared and been replaced by the tasteful lights above us. The dim lighting of the restaurant combines with the class of the white table cloths and candles to make this restaurant the ideal place for an elegant, relaxing meal with a loved one.
As we sit back and pat our full bellies, Mikel comes back and takes a seat at the table to ask how we enjoyed our meal. We sing out the dishes’ praises as he laughs modestly and offers us to go boxes. Our ever-present server Mabel packs up the dishes and thoughtfully leaves us to recap as our meal digests. Before leaving the restaurant, I take one lingering look around and know that this will not be my last trip to Florencias Ristorante and Pizzeria.
Insider Tip: If you’re looking for a cheaper way to try out this restaurant, check out the special offers available for eating in or taking to-go, including a daily lunch menu that features the most popular dishes at only $5.50 and special deals when you buy the family or dinner-for-two specials.
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