When West Cobb Magazine asked me to review La Strada restaurant in East Cobb, my first thought was “Wow – I haven’t eaten in there in forever. I wonder if La Strada is still as good as I remember?” So, I did what I usually do before visiting a restaurant. I went online and checked out their website to get a general idea of what their menu is like and a sense of what I’d like to order. Judging by La Strada’s basic website, I jumped to the conclusion that food would be average. Full disclosure: this was a free meal as I was reviewing for West Cobb Magazine.

La Strada owner, John Lefkaditis

Upon entering, I was greeted by John Lefkaditis, the current owner, who bought it from the original owners 7 years ago. His warm and friendly demeanor immediately let me know this was a family restaurant that wants to turn every guest into a regular. I learned that in it’s 21 years the restaurant has gone through several iterations from originally being a house, to a pool hall, an Ernie’s Steakhouse, to the restaurant we now see as La Strada.

La Strada Interior

Being seated in a cozy table at the back of the restaurant, I felt free to take pictures without the flash being a nuisance to other diners nearby. The decor, hasn’t been updated in quite a while. John said the regulars seem to like it and he doesn’t want to mess with what works. He recently updated the booths which was a major change for them, but a necessary one.

La Strada Bruschetta

Before looking at the menu, we were brought some garlic bread with an minced olive spread, which I quite enjoyed, surprising, as I don’t usually care for olives, but this was quite tasty when spread on top of the garlic bread. Note: this is different than the image above, which is Bruschetta.

Our server, Dee, who’s been at La Strata just under 2 years, recited to us the 4 appetizer specials and 4 entree specials that evening without having to consult a cheat sheet once. As she touted the stuffed shrimp, we gave that a try. And I knew I wanted to try the calamari, of which they have 2 offerings – 1 is the traditional ring calamari with red sauce, but I found myself leaning to the more unusual calamari steak, which, in it’s appearance is like a thin fried chicken cutlet.

La Strada Calamari Steak

The shrimp stuffed with crab, scallions, onions and garlic and topped with melted mozzarella cheese was fantastic. If you like shellfish and are a fan of crab cakes, this is a great choice if available, as you not only get crab but shrimp too. I had mixed feelings about the calamari steak myself. It comes with a lemon sauce that is VERY strong. It grew on me slightly, but I think because it is was not what I was expecting, I was a little disappointed. I would recommend the more traditional calamari to anyone.

At this point, John, popped over once again to see how our dinner was. I kept my eye on him most of the evening, and watched as he chatted up patrons, which seemed to be almost entirely made up of regulars. After speaking to John for a while, I learned that he worked for the revered Buckhead Life Restaurant Group as a manger at several of their restaurants (most recently Kyma) for years before buying La Strada. So, obviously he knows what he is doing.

La Strada Lamb Shank

That being said, we took his recommendations on dinner and each tried one of the specials. Originally, I intended on ordering the Steak Pizzaiola – a NY Strip topped with marinara sauce. But when I heard about the lamb shank Osso Bucco special, I just couldn’t resist. And, Glen went for the veal chop special.

La Strada Veal Chop

My lamb shank didn’t disappoint. The huge shank had tender, juicy meat, nearly falling off the bone – no knife necessary. I chose the risotto as a side, but you have a choice of potatoes if you prefer. Speaking of huge, Glen’s veal chop was gigantic. Although he arrived at the restaurant with an appetite, he barely made a dent in this chop, amazing as it was. I highly recommend ordering anything veal here. If there isn’t a veal special, the stuffed veal parmigiana, sounds like a great choice – topped with prosciutto, eggplant, marinara sauce, and mozzarella.

La Strada Zuppa Inglese Dessert

La Strada Chocolate Cake

After having our remainders boxed up, we truly had no business looking at a dessert menu, but we did anyway. Believe or not, this was the hardest decision of the evening – and usually it is the easiest. As to be expected the true Italian classics are on the menu – Tiramisu and Cannolis. I’m sure the Tiramisu is good, but I just couldn’t handle a rich dessert like that at this point. So, I asked for a lighter suggestion and was told about the Zuppa Inglese – the Italian version of the English Trifle. As promised, this was light and small enough to be the perfect finish to my meal. I did also have a taste of the Cioccolato at Forno – a flourless chocolate cake. It was superb – the decadent chocolate filling pairing well with what was left of our red wine.

In my chat with John, I found out that he hosts monthly wine dinners and wine tastings. “How do you spread the word?”, I asked, as it obviously wasn’t noted on their website. He said it is almost like an underground event – not something they promote. Only regulars are in the know. As one of the customers was leaving he shouted at John “See you next Thursday!”

Ah! I finally began to understand, La Strada isn’t about hype or mega advertising. They are just about being a family-oriented restaurant who has built a loyal following by providing friendly, thoughtful service and consistently good food. Prices are very reasonable, with most under $20. Go. Try. Become a regular.

2930 Johnson Ferry Rd
Marietta, GA 30062
770 640 7008
Website

Extras: The restaurant offers gluten-free pastas and rice.

Tags: East Cobb, Family, Gluten-Free, Italian, marietta