If I could give this 7-stars I would. What was supposed to be a casual birthday dinner turned into an unexpectedly amazing night.
Food-wise, the four of us started with the bruschetta and mushroom apps. Both really solid. I got the oregano pizza. As a huge za'atar fan, this might have been my favorite pizza toppings-wise I've ever had. The labneh is what really pulls it together. The pizza itself was very high quality.
I was sitting next to a spaghetti carbonara aficionado. Its her litmus test at every Italian restaurant (and she's been to many). She said this was top-3 in the city.
The four cheese gnocchi was out of this world. I only had a bite of the birthday boy's dish, but the gnocchi melted in my mouth and the cheeses were blended to perfection.
Lastly, the chicken parm was supposedly excellent as well. We were all incredibly satisfied by our meals.
At the table next to us were two women who had mouth-watering looking dishes as well. One of them was controlling the music in the restaurant. I'm not entirely sure how it happened, but she put on a song we requested, and we all started clapping and then dancing. Turns out she was the owner! She refilled our drinks, and brought out a birthday tiramisu with a HUGE sparkler. Just look at how happy the birthday boy is - the picture says it all!
We ended up hanging out at the restaurant for several more hours. The owner, her friend and the staff were so much fun. Even a spilt glass of red wine and a ruined dress couldn't stop us. My face actually hurt from smiling and laughing so much.
It was one of those magical hospitality moments that will stick with you for a long time. I'm certain you won't replicate our experience - and frankly, we couldn't either if we tried - but no matter what, this place is worth the visit.