Eat The Menu: La Dolce Vita

I’m here to guide you to Gia, a sweet little kitchen that pays tribute to Italy, which opened during midwinter in Armatage’s former Cave Vin. Now that it’s high summer, there’s all the more reason to salute its celebration of all that’s fresh and seasonal — and the backstory is just as intriguing as what you’ll find on your plate. Here goes:

Co-chefs/owners Jo Seddon and Lisa Wengler met during a brief overlap at kitchen maestro Gavin Kaysen’s now-shuttered Bellecour. Seddon, a British doctor before a mid-life career change found her on the line at London’s Michelin-starred River Café, followed her husband’s job to Minneapolis. Wengler, meanwhile, trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America.

The women’s instant chemistry propelled them from pop-ups to catering to brick-and-mortar when the pair realized they missed the satisfaction of interacting with diners as well as with produce from the delivery truck. When they found this site on Xerxes Avenue, they slapped on some bright, white paint, tossed out banquettes in favor of four-tops, and fired up the range.

Today, crisp white cloths (remember those, anyone?) and perky bud vases dress the cache of tables. A housemother-ish maîtresse d’ welcomes guests, and friendly, informed servers (looking at you, Christian) guide them through their meal.

The menu leads off with a handful of snacks (olives, salami, arancini, etc.) and sharing plates: prosciutto di Parma paired with cantaloupe, a seasonal marriage made in Italy and heaven, cheese plate, and bruschetta with toppings ($16-18). Instead, we went straight for the small plates ($12-19), sharing a Tuscan panzanella salad plumped with sweet bursts of roasted cherry tomatoes and addictively crisp little croutons of focaccia. Satisfying comfort food invented by Italy’s nonnas as a frugal way to use up day-old bread. Still works.

A second small plate — slim ravioli filled with creamy ricotta and nutty Parmesan — came dressed with fresh tomato, a subtle hit of chili and grassy hints of basil. I could devour a plate or ten on a daily basis, it’s that good: supple, savory, light and well-balanced.

Five mains are on offer ($27-35), and this is where you’ll find a few more pasta preparations. We ordered one, in fact — orecchiette alla Norma, the classic salute to eggplant, which was in short supply, alas. Instead, slow-cooked tomato lapped the well-timed “little ear” pasta shapes, abetted by basil (‘tis the season), plus bits of ricotta salata. Good, but not habit-forming. Next time: rigatoni in a white wine-infused ragu with rosemary and Parmesan, maybe.

Or steer for something huskier — seafood like scallops upon risotto, bronzini en papillote with new potatoes and veggies, or, our choice, and a grand one: a pork chop. Thick-cut, meaty and perfectly timed, it rested on a rustic bed of braised greens mined with sweet golden raisins, savory pine nuts and a splash of cream. Is it worth $35? Your call…

Desserts (often an afterthought in Italy) are few but well-chosen. There’s the mandatory chocolate number, a strawberry frangipane tart with almond praline ice cream, a pair of chocolate truffles, and our choice: a lemon and blackberry posset, which is simply a lovely, puddingy marriage of lemon, sugar and cream — light enough and tart enough to cleanse one’s palate while pleasing one’s sweet tooth.

Oh yes, there’s also my favorite for a steamy day: affogato — ice cream afloat in a shot of espresso. That’s my premier mid-afternoon pick-up, but I lacked the courage to slurp the tiny amount of caffeine after dark.

Instead, I sipped the last of my Gia Old Fashioned while my friend lingered over his limonata. The short and well-curated drinks menu accompanies a wine list that favors Italy, with over a dozen BTG ($12-22).

Gia boasts a few parking places, but there’s generous street space, too. Grazie, signore!

5555 Xerxes Ave. S.
612-274-7163
www.Giampls.com

Closed Sun., Mon.