Home Comfort To Go Out For - La Fiorentina Review

You know that phrase, “an oldie but goodie”? I'm pretty sure that is what La Fiorentina translates to in Italian. Well not really but what am I if not dramatic? This gem of an eatery was opened in 1989 by the Lazzuri family and has been doling out delicious comforting Italian - namely Tuscan - cuisine ever since. They originate from Tuscany and have a deep ingrained history in farming live stock, fruit, vegetables, making wines and olive oil, which all led to their experience with the restaurant trade. I am a lover of many aspects of Italian culture, from the lush landscapes, to the fashion, to the language but, at the top of that list is the food. And due to my Pavarotti sized passion for pasta, pizza and parmigiana: I have tried almost every Italian restaurant Southside of the city and slightly beyond. Yet, I always come back to La Fiorentina. I could maybe go as far to say, this may be one of my favourite restaurants in all of Glasgow. So much so that one of my considerations in this infamous property hunt I am on is a flat so close I could walk to the restaurant and then waddle myself back home.

This stunning place is located in the Kinning Park area of Glasgow just outside the centre of the city. It sits in the middle of a fork in the road and with the grand scale of the building and twinkle lights in the window, it gives off an inviting feel even from the outside which carries through to the intimate, cozy décor within. La Fiorentina prides itself not only in their fantastic food which earned them many accolades and awards stretching back to the restaurant's opening, it also takes great pride in it's service, ensuring that diners have the most pleasant evening possible. With attentive, welcoming front of house staff helping to create a comforting and relaxed dining experience. Service is quick and snappy, not having you wait long for drink orders or between courses but still manages to never feel rushed. You are never asked to have your table back for a certain time, front of house do not hover but still manage to time it perfectly for another drink or clearing the table ready for your next course. This is the type of professionalism that is worked on and earned in a long term institution such as this.

Now to the main event. The menu manages to be diverse and offers dishes to suit all tastes while still being very curated. I usually say a long menu is a warning sign for a restaurant. It usually brings to mind microwaved meals or an inexperienced chef who hasn't found their niche yet and leads to me not expecting much from anything that I order and usually I am right in this. The way La Fiorentina handles their menu however, shows what can be accomplished if a chef knows where their strengths lie and what a customer would expect from a place such as this one. The dishes are simply good, fresh ingredients: placed into the capable hands of someone who knows how to treat them - and chef is not afraid of a good portion size.

I have to say, being a frequent flyer with this chef I do have my artillery of choice when eating here. I always go with the best intentions of trying something different and I have managed this perhaps twice. But, as we know I never eat alone and always try a bit of whoever's dish I'm dining with. My go to starter is always the Funghi Ripien: which is deep fried breaded mushrooms stuffed with velvety mozzarella cheese, ham, onions and fresh herbs. I love mushrooms of any kind but these take the cake. The coating is crisp and holds the gooey centre together well until you slice into a little, creamy, tasty piece of heaven. And to top it all off these little honeys are served with a garlic mayo which comes to your table in a gravy boat. For me I could stop this review here because they allow the garlic mayo to come in. A. Gravy. Boat. Which means there is none of that awkward having to ask for another 2-3 tiny ramekins in these places that don't understand the need for an excessive amount of any sauce never mind garlic mayo. (yes I have been here on dates here and ordered this and his love for garlic mayo is one of the main reasons we have been together for so long) I love sauce, all sauce and so not feeling sauce-shamed is a real plus for this restaurant. Other antipasti options include the Calamari Fritti which, on the several occasions I have stolen a piece has always been perfectly cooked and melt in the mouth (and yes, is also served with the famous garlic mayo gravy boat).

My favourite main dish possibly anywhere but especially here is the Spaghetti Polpette; phenomenal meatballs which have a lovely spicy heat to them coated in a tasty tomato, garlic and chilli sauce, served with perfectly cooked spaghetti. The generous portion sees you with 4-5 large, almost tennis ball sized, meatballs in a beautiful nest of pasta, lavished and tossed in the stunning sauce. Well seasoned and nicely spicy, this is my go to dish. I can very rarely finish it in one sitting – mainly because I can't say no to the starter course and try everyone else's – but having these leftovers later is one of my favourite parts of this dish. I can take it home, sit in my pyjamas and not have to eat it as politely as would be required in public. (I know, he's a lucky guy.) I love spicy food and there is a warning on the menu that this dish is “VERY HOT”, however, I would dispute this and say it is not an overly spicy dish. There is definitely some heat but it is very tolerable. I can handle my heat though and would suggest if you are a bit more on the mild side then have one of your more adventurous friends give it a go first and taste theirs before you fully commit.

The other main dish I have had from La Fiorentina is the Spaghetti Marinara; spaghetti pasta with a range of beautifully prepared and cooked fresh seafood. Consisting of squid, king prawns, and mussels tossed and coated in a very fresh and light tomato sauce with chilli, fresh herbs, garlic and white wine which gives the dish a crisp finish. The chilli in this sauce only accounts for taste, there is no spicy heat to this dish and that I can promise as my other half orders it frequently and he cannot handle heat too well. (You'd think he'd check if the spice is tolerable in the meatballs for his missus who writes reviews and uses his intolerance as a USP but that's an issue for another time) With a stunning selection of pizza, beef, chicken, veal and fish dishes it is a crime that I have not tried more of what this restaurant has to offer. There is a menu to suit every occasion and a gluten free menu is also offered so, really everyone is catered for. The dessert menu is rather limited but I would be unable to comment as I actually have never had dessert here purely because I struggle to retain oxygen upon leaving this restaurant never mind another course.

This is one restaurant I have missed over each version of the lockdown in Glasgow and I go every chance the restrictions allow us to eat out. La Fiorentina truly is a real institution and not many places can hold that title with such certainty. With undeniably good food, fantastic service and food that you wish was as good as mama made because if mama made this I wouldn't be moving out, (sorry mum.) La Fiorentina is an all round winner in my book. In conclusion, if you love a gravy boat of garlic mayo like me, go here. No, but seriously: if you enjoy simple, good cooking that makes you want to never stop eating and curl up in front of the TV with a bowl of any dish on offer here, go here.