Lala's Wine Bar + Pizzeria 410 E. 7th Ave. Denver 80203
303-861-WINE
Thurs 10/9/08
Attendees: Ang., Caroline, Cat, Jen, & Lara
Lala's was a last minute choice for our October dining date but when I heard there was a wine bar in Denver that none of us had been to... I knew it was the perfect place for these vino-lovin' ladies to get together.
Upon entering the restaurant, I was surprised at how big the space is. The ambiance is open and warm, dim but not dark. The bar is beautiful and the decor is very welcoming. We were seated toward the back, near the pizza bar at a great table in the corner that somewhat looks over the whole dining area. Our server was Lynette and she was cheery, friendly and fun and started us off with some waters while we pored over the extensive menus. (There were 3 -- the regular menu, specials, and wine.) I was feeling overwhelmed by the choices for wine so I went ahead and ordered a flight of the evenings specials which were Chiantis. While I thought they were interesting, I mostly found them each to be a bit tart for my taste. We also ordered up some Roman Artichokes which were "lightly breaded and fried, served with Caspian aioli" and they were delicious! The aioli was drizzled along with a cilantro-tasting pesto that paired perfectly with the artichokes. We also ordered the Housemade Burrata which was an amazing, fresh, mozzarella cheese served with "vine ripe tomatoes, balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil" and we were equally impressed and enjoyed every last bite along with a warm and tasty flatbread that accompanied the appetizer.
I ordered another flight of wine -- this time choosing to try the "Director's Cut Pinot Noir," the "Prima Voce Super Tuscan," and our waitress, Lynette's favorite wine, the "Alcance Carmenere" and enjoyed them in that order. The Alcance Carmenere was full bodied and delicious - I would try it again.
For my dinner, I ordered the "Il David" pizza, "naked (of course), three cheeses, herbed grilled chicken, artichoke, oven dried tomato, roasted garlic and red peppers." I asked for some olives instead of the chicken and they were happy to accommodate. The pizza was really, really good. The crust is thin and the ingredients are fresh and tasty. There were plenty of tomatoes and artichokes and roasted garlic (mmm) but I might have liked a few more olives. I was otherwise quite full after a few pieces, even though the pizzas are small. The wine and appetizers made it a full meal and I wasn't hungry again until today.
Incidentally, the prices at Lala's are very fair. Pizzas are about 9 bucks as well as the open-faced sandwiches. If you can manage to keep your wine intake to a couple of glasses, you could get out of here without dropping too much cash. I had to stop after two flights ($12 each) and settle on a final glass to finish the night. Getting the flights are a fun way to try some more expensive wines without paying for it.
I'll let the other girls comment on their experience at Lala's but I had a great time and thought the service and the food was stellar. Brian checked in on us from time to time and treated us to dessert. We were well taken care of and I would certainly return. The only issue I see to Lala's is the parking problem that plagues this area. Ang. & I drove around several blocks before settling on parking over on Logan. Lala's says that there is parking at the Govn'rs Park lot just a half-block down but as I recall, that lot is generally full as it is. I would suggest that Lala's posts a sandwich board out front letting people know where they can try and park because we otherwise would not have known to try the Gov's lot.
Carpool, bus, whatever you gotta do... but do give Lala's a shot. It's a welcome addition to the dining scene in Denver and we'd love to see them stick around.
Salute!
www.lalaswinebar.com
303-861-WINE
Thurs 10/9/08
Attendees: Ang., Caroline, Cat, Jen, & Lara
Lala's was a last minute choice for our October dining date but when I heard there was a wine bar in Denver that none of us had been to... I knew it was the perfect place for these vino-lovin' ladies to get together.
Upon entering the restaurant, I was surprised at how big the space is. The ambiance is open and warm, dim but not dark. The bar is beautiful and the decor is very welcoming. We were seated toward the back, near the pizza bar at a great table in the corner that somewhat looks over the whole dining area. Our server was Lynette and she was cheery, friendly and fun and started us off with some waters while we pored over the extensive menus. (There were 3 -- the regular menu, specials, and wine.) I was feeling overwhelmed by the choices for wine so I went ahead and ordered a flight of the evenings specials which were Chiantis. While I thought they were interesting, I mostly found them each to be a bit tart for my taste. We also ordered up some Roman Artichokes which were "lightly breaded and fried, served with Caspian aioli" and they were delicious! The aioli was drizzled along with a cilantro-tasting pesto that paired perfectly with the artichokes. We also ordered the Housemade Burrata which was an amazing, fresh, mozzarella cheese served with "vine ripe tomatoes, balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil" and we were equally impressed and enjoyed every last bite along with a warm and tasty flatbread that accompanied the appetizer.
I ordered another flight of wine -- this time choosing to try the "Director's Cut Pinot Noir," the "Prima Voce Super Tuscan," and our waitress, Lynette's favorite wine, the "Alcance Carmenere" and enjoyed them in that order. The Alcance Carmenere was full bodied and delicious - I would try it again.
For my dinner, I ordered the "Il David" pizza, "naked (of course), three cheeses, herbed grilled chicken, artichoke, oven dried tomato, roasted garlic and red peppers." I asked for some olives instead of the chicken and they were happy to accommodate. The pizza was really, really good. The crust is thin and the ingredients are fresh and tasty. There were plenty of tomatoes and artichokes and roasted garlic (mmm) but I might have liked a few more olives. I was otherwise quite full after a few pieces, even though the pizzas are small. The wine and appetizers made it a full meal and I wasn't hungry again until today.
Incidentally, the prices at Lala's are very fair. Pizzas are about 9 bucks as well as the open-faced sandwiches. If you can manage to keep your wine intake to a couple of glasses, you could get out of here without dropping too much cash. I had to stop after two flights ($12 each) and settle on a final glass to finish the night. Getting the flights are a fun way to try some more expensive wines without paying for it.
I'll let the other girls comment on their experience at Lala's but I had a great time and thought the service and the food was stellar. Brian checked in on us from time to time and treated us to dessert. We were well taken care of and I would certainly return. The only issue I see to Lala's is the parking problem that plagues this area. Ang. & I drove around several blocks before settling on parking over on Logan. Lala's says that there is parking at the Govn'rs Park lot just a half-block down but as I recall, that lot is generally full as it is. I would suggest that Lala's posts a sandwich board out front letting people know where they can try and park because we otherwise would not have known to try the Gov's lot.
Carpool, bus, whatever you gotta do... but do give Lala's a shot. It's a welcome addition to the dining scene in Denver and we'd love to see them stick around.
Salute!
www.lalaswinebar.com
