Luciano Serves Some of the Best Pasta in Montreal

It seems like Luciano just opened in La Petite-Patrie with its concise, crowd-pleaser menu of pastas and trattoria classics. And while other, longer-in-the-tooth Montreal restaurants wait patiently for Thierry Daraize to pop by, the Saint-Zotique newcomer has the gung-ho critic's fat stamp of approval this week.

In fairness, Daraize writes in his Le Journal de Montréal review that the restaurant has been open for almost two months (the official date was November 4). An under-the-radar six weeks or so, until now. Thanks to a range of "to die for" homemade pastas from chef-owner Luciano D’Orazio, and the likes of veal meatballs, a "five-star" fregola and osso buco, and a veal cutlet, on the bone, the restaurant earns an impressive four stars on five. The gnocchi at Luciano is particularly good, raves Daraize. "Ces gnocchis-là vont faire parler les gourmands, j’en suis certain!" The critic's Little Italy meal ends with two unnamed, and undescribed desserts that are, simply, "sympathiques." Pasta is obviously the star of the show here—"parmi les meilleu­res de la métropole", concludes Daraize. (Suggestion: if the restaurant is truly this good, Le Journal should probably spell its name correctly.)

Spaghetti, lobster, corn, and mint from Luciano