Trattoria Da vinci

TRATTORIA: ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Little Italian Restaurant

It was my husband and I's 6 year Anniversary yesterday! Last nite we went to a restaurant that has been on my "restaurant list" for years! It's a place I originally heard about from being a lover of twin cities restaurants- especially Italian. But my best friend, Amy had been there several times and always raved about it!

If you know me at all, you know I am a huge skeptic when it comes to good food, and restaurants, especially when it comes to my favorite-Italian. It's hard to find delicious Italian food in the cities.

I did some researching on the restaurant website the day before we went. It looked wonderful and the decor looked just as appealing. I also love art, but for some reason I wasn't putting two and two together when it came to LEONARDO DA VINCI, and my best friend didn't mention that either! Which I still don't get!

Well I walked through these beautiful Black Iron Gate doors, with vines wrapped through them-and entered into what somewhat reflected my own living room! It was beautiful! All of Leonardo's work was hanging up, including the famous Mona Lisa (the one hanging was very close to the original size in The Louvre in Paris)-they even had his drawings hanging! There were columns in the open style dining room, and marble, and hardwood floors. There was Italian wine bottles that lined up along some wrap around shelving around the room.

We arrived about 40 minutes early, (they weren't technically open yet)-but it didn't matter-they told us to go sit at the bar and enjoy an Anniversary drink! I had a Cosmo and Kevin had a Bloody Mary! Both were memorably delicious! I had only drank about one fourth of mine and I was light headed!
We had a nice time chatting with the owner, manager and bartender and then we enjoyed our Caprese' salad- (Fresh Buffalo Mozzarelli with tamatas, and basil, sprinkled with kosher salt and pepper). The last time I treated myself to that dish was when we were in Paris over 6 years ago on Valentine's Day.

After that we went to our table-the service was excellent. She was just as great as everyone else we had met so far. I was so dizzy though during the ordering process, that when I had got back from the bathroom, I told Kevin I had forgotten what I ordered! He thought I was a piece of work!

I ordered the Penne' Aurora- it was a delicious reddish cream sauce with chicken, broccoli, walnuts and tamatas. Kevin had homemade, hand rolled Gnocchi with white Gorgonzola sauce. They were both very good. I give the food about a 7 and the service and atmosphere a 10!

We had a very memorable nite, and we also took home some Tiramisu (which I still need to eat today)! Maybe one day I will be writing about our actual experience IN Italy! My dream!

Happy Anniversary Kevin and Gina! To 6 long, challenging, trying, grace-filled, mercy-filled, laughter- filled years. I praise God for everything He's done in and through us with our marriage. I am still trying to figure out what He's doing with us, but I am slowly but surely trying to trust Him.