If you’ve had a difficult time getting in a dinner reservation for La Cucina Homestyle Italian Restaurant, you’re now able to try your luck during lunch.
The business — known for its Italian dishes in a cozy ambiance — just started opening for lunch on Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
We’re told the restaurant had first opened for lunch in 2016 from Tuesdays to Fridays, but lunch service was brief, and the restaurant focused on dinner. This is the first time the eatery has opened for lunch since then.
The lunch menu is smaller than the dinner menu, but it still offers a wide variety of choices. The prices are the same as dinner, and the menu features many of the eatery’s popular dishes.
Reservations for lunch are highly recommended (email the restaurant at lacucinaitaliano@yahoo.com). If you already know what you want, you can include your pre-order when making your reservation.
Appetizers include bruschetta ($12), crostini al porcini ($14) and burrata ($19). The grilled bread topped with fresh mozzarella and porcini mushrooms ($14) is perfect for sharing; the savory mushroom spread is delightful.
Meanwhile, the 8-ounce fresh burrata cheese ($19) is sure to please cheese lovers. It’s served with Ho Farms cherry tomatoes, housemade pesto and crostini. The burrata is creamy and buttery with a mildly sweet flavor. The shredded mozzarella curds are easily spreadable on the crostini.
Note: Bread service isn’t available during lunch, since guests may be on a limited lunch break.
Insider tip: Even though popular appetizers like the roasted seasoned bone marrow topped with pesto ($34) isn’t listed on the lunch menu, if the restaurant isn’t busy, feel free to inquire about it. If the kitchen isn’t inundated with orders, there’s a chance they might be able to make it for you.
The pasta selection ranges from rigatoni Bolognese ($28) and tagliatelle neri e frutti di mare ($34) — which is squid ink pasta with chopped clams, mussels, tiger shrimp and calamari — to funghi ravioli ($22) and gnocchi tartufo ($28).
The gnocchi tartufo is essentially truffle gnocchi with homemade Italian sausage (without the casing). The gnocchi is cooked perfectly and we loved the creamy, truffle filling. It’s easy to fill up on these pillowy bites of goodness, so pace yourself if you’re set on getting dessert.
Pappardelle Norcina ($28) is one of my favorite pastas on the menu. It features wide pappardelle noodles paired with homemade Italian sausage sauteed with onions, garlic, porcini mushrooms, whole mushrooms and Pecorino Romano. The wide, flat noodles boast the perfect chewy consistency, and are ideal for absorbing the buttery sauce. The dish overall features great textures, thanks to the chewiness from the different mushrooms.
Save room for signature desserts like tiramisu ($12) and crème brulee cheesecake ($12). The cheesecake is my favorite, due to its creamy texture and crispy, caramelized topping.
If you want something more classic, go for the tiramisu. It’s light, airy and moist, with a nice balance between the creamy mascarpone, cocoa and coffee.
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CONTACT
La Cucina Homestyle Italian Restaurant
The Imperial Plaza
725 Kapi‘olani Blvd, Honolulu
808-593-2626
lacucinahawaii.com
Instagram: @lacucinahonolulu
Open for lunch Mondays only, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
