The Lady Olive

I was so tired after work on Friday that my plans to head to the gym turned into a nap on the couch in my work clothes. SO exciting.  Thankfully I just got some new B-12 that gave me the energy to have an incredible feast of a dinner!

We had a gift card to Luce, an upscale Italian restaurant in Charlotte that I had heard great things about but had yet to visit.  It’s the only restaurant in the Conte Restaurant Group that I had not tried.

Perhaps it was the pre-dinner scotch (I might be your grandfather) that encouraged me to take these shots and also try out fall’s dark lip trend.  I am wearing Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry.

Sweater: Madewell Skirt: Express Booties: Nine West (old) I like these by Fergie

Necklace: J.Crew (old) Bag: Tory Burch (old)

The temperature was perfect and I am taking every opportunity to rock bare legs until it’s too cold!  Tights make me feel so trapped! I’m pretty weird.

I found my sweater on major sale at my local Madewell. It also comes in solids, which I may have to spring for! They are soft, cozy and extremely versatile.

Madewell Leafstitch Crewneck also in cream, camel and heather gray for $79.50

Off to dinner we went. Here’s what we ordered:

CARPACCIO
baby arugula, beef tenderloin, truffle aioli, shaved parmesan

POLIPO
grilled polipo, roasted red peppers, artichokes, crispy capers, evoo

A little known fact about me is that I am obsessed with octopus and I always order it when I see it on the menu. This polipo (which is Italian for octopus) is one of the best I’ve had in Charlotte,  tying for first place with the octopodi at locally owned Greek Isles .

VEAL CHOP (for him)
stuffed with spinach, fontina parma cotta, black truffle
demi, served with oven roasted winter vegetables

He LOVED it!

PESCE DEL GIORNO (for her, uh me)
Which was pan seared grouper served alongside the creamiest risotti ever with corn and lobster.

My grouper was perfect-flaky, buttery, and that risotto was oh so decadent. Lobster has the power to make the simplest thing taste extraordinary. I appreciated the generous chunks of it as well!

And the grand finale…

Torta Di Cioccolato

[Chocolate Cake] mousse, ganache, hazelnuts, crema

The chocolate cake had more of a mousse-like consistency. The hazelnut flavor really came through and of course we had to order it with a side of pistachio gelato.  The flavor was spot on. If you read my Yelp reviews, this is definitely going on my Best Desserts of Charlotte List!

What an incredible meal! I can honestly say that Luce is one of Charlotte’s best Italian restaurants, with the other being Toscana; it’s no surprise each is owned by the same restaurant group. There are still a few other Italian restaurants on my list to try but it goes without saying that these people know what they’re doing.

Tomorrow I will be sharing a killer pumpkin pie recipe, with an Italian twist (it’s got MASCARPONE!!)

Don’t miss it!

CIAO!