Lo Stella Ristorante
Lo Stella Ristorante stands as one of my favorite restaurants in Colorado; they offer the most authentic Italian cuisine & their recipes have been passed down for generations. Lo Stella has a newly rolled out menu rich in pastas that will leave you coming back for more.
Lo Stella Ristorante
We arrived at Lo Stella and were seated in the bar next to the main bay window. Lo Stella's aesthetic is that of a classic, family owned Italian eatery - intimate & relaxed with earthy colors and natural shades of oak & mahogany throughout the space.
Staff members Luca & Brian led us through our meal - both were incredibly knowledgeable on the new menu and had the most charming demeanors that made us want to kick, back relax & stay awhile (Lo Stella’s staff is known for making customers feel like family).
Luca started off our meal with some prosecco.
Prosecco
For Antipasta we had the Crude Del Giorno which is the Chef’s creation based on daily availability of raw beef & seafood. The chef made us an assortment of bruschetta & Carpaccio. The bruschetta included Seared Shrimp, Charred Octopus & Smoked Salmon.
Crude Del Giorno
The Seared Shrimp bruschetta was our favorite - it was served over crème de zucchini, sautéed onions & vermouth. The charred octopus bruschetta had great smoky flavor and was served over garbanzo bean puree. The smoked salmon bruschetta was served over burrata and topped with a balsamic glaze.
The Carpaccio was made with local beef from Ovid, Colorado.
Carpaccio
The carpaccio’s meat was very thinly sliced & clean in taste - grass fed, grass finished beef through and through. The carpaccio was topped off with a splash of blood orange citronette that added a brightness to each bite.
Brian asked if we liked truffles & Ross and I both readily exclaimed “YES” - he then brought out black summer truffle bruschetta for us to try.
Black Summer Truffle Bruschetta
The black summer truffle spread was amazing - it had garlic, wild mushroom and earthy hazelnut undertones.
For Pasta we had the new Taglierini Al Cinghiale, Ravioli di Pesce and the Spaghetti Alla Puppo.
The Taglierini Al Cinghiale tossed in Parmigiano is made with Braised Wild Boar Ragu (Wild Boar is a very popular meat in Italy).
Taglierini Al Cinghiale
The Taglierini Al Cinghiale was a rich & hearty pasta - the boar was gamey & had a meat profile somewhere in-between pork and venison.
Luca paired my red sauce pastas (the Taglierini Al Cinghiale and Spaghetti Alla Puppo) with a delicious Tuscan Chianti that had been aged for 7 months in oak barrels.
Tuscan Chianti paired with red sauce pastas
The Ravioli di Pesce in Crema di Gamberi is homemade Fish Ravioli with Lo Stella's creamy shrimp sauce (a recipe that has been used since 1940). The Ravioli is my favorite pasta at Lo Stella and stands as the best ravioli I’ve had to date.
Ravioli di Pesce in Crema di Gamberi
The homemade raviolis were delicately enveloped in a lovely sea bass filling. The mild sea bass was a great match for the decadent shrimp sauce. The Ravioli di Pesce in Crema di Gamberi was rich & delicious and when we had ate all the raviolis, we used the shrimp sauce left on the plate for our bread. A must order!
The Spaghetti Alla Puppo is Spaghetti with Nonno Puppo's marinara recipe, crispy garlic & red pepper flakes.
Spaghetti Alla Puppo
The spaghetti was stellar - the bright red marinara had the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness and tasted of fresh tomatoes. The red pepper flakes added a nice (yet subtle) spice to the pasta.
For dessert we had Semifreddo & Vinsanto (dessert wine). Semifreddo is Italian for "half-cold" or "half frozen".
Semifreddo
Vinsanto
The Semifreddo was like an ice cream cake & we enjoyed this cold, sweet treat. It had a dusting of espresso powder and drizzle of caramel-like amaretto sauce on top. Vanilla & almond flavor notes shone in this dessert.
Big thanks to Lo Stella Ristorante, Alessandro, Luca & Brian for hosting us! We will be back very soon!
Check it out babes and let them know that denv.her. sent you! xx
Lo Stella Ristorante
Service options: Dine-in · Curbside pickup · No delivery
Address: 1135 Bannock St, Denver, CO 80204
Menu: lostelladenver.com
Phone: (303) 825-1995
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