There's a robust cheese menu and the cheese service is very nice, though I think it could be labeled better when it arrives to the table (because you simply can't remember all the variety/animal sources/attributes you ordered). But this is also a fully fledge restaurant, and while cheese is featured in many of the dishes, they have a handful of vegan dishes as well. I like this place for its consistency, atmosphere (casual, but you still feel like you're out to eat), and variety.
A good list of cheese and charcuterie. A wide variety of wines from many regions. Good pasta dishes. A friendly but semi-formal atmosphere. Good service. Definitely a candidate for a place you would visit regularly.
Cheese-focused Italian spot on Montana Ave. Came here on a Sunday around noon and made a reservation online beforehand to celebrate my bday with family. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. Metered street parking, although free residential parking (most were for 2 hours, exempting permits) is available. Credit cards accepted. Kid-friendly. Single occupant restrooms available in the back.The food was all delicious. They make the pastas in the cheese wheel behind a plastic barrier so you can still watch, but they don’t do it at your table. We got an order of burnt spaghetti assassina, which is only slightly burnt, which lends a nice toasty flavor the the spaghetti. It’s good for four people. The cacio e pepe is a popular pasta and for good reason - it’s peppery and salty (from the Parmesan). The mushroom pasta was similarly quite delicious; very creamy and rich. The fettucine bolognese had good flavor and kept relatively well for leftovers. My dad got a Sicilian flatbread (it’s vegan) and it was still filling. For dessert, we got the gianduja semifreddo, which our waiter claimed was his favorite. It’s light yet still chocolately - I highly enjoyed it.Overall, it’s on the pricier side, but it’s a delicious meal with big portions and friendly service. You’ll have an enjoyable time here. Bon apetito!
Cheese-focused Italian spot on Montana Ave. Came here on a Sunday around noon and made a reservation online beforehand to celebrate my bday with family. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. Metered street parking, although free residential parking (most were for 2 hours, exempting permits) is available. Credit cards accepted. Kid-friendly. Single occupant restrooms available in the back. The food was all delicious. They make the pastas in the cheese wheel behind a plastic barrier so you can still watch, but they don’t do it at your table. We got an order of burnt spaghetti assassina, which is only slightly burnt, which lends a nice toasty flavor the the spaghetti. It’s good for four people. The cacio e pepe is a popular pasta and for good reason - it’s peppery and salty (from the Parmesan). The mushroom pasta was similarly quite delicious; very creamy and rich. The fettucine bolognese had good flavor and kept relatively well for leftovers. My dad got a Sicilian flatbread (it’s vegan) and it was still filling. For dessert, we got the gianduja semifreddo, which our waiter claimed was his favorite. It’s light yet still chocolately - I highly enjoyed it. Overall, it’s on the pricier side, but it’s a delicious meal with big portions and friendly service. You’ll have an enjoyable time here. Bon apetito!
I’m a picky eater and it’s rare that I find several items I like to order from a restaurant. Forma is the best! The cheese, the pasta, the salad, the entrees, I can’t wait to go back and try more items. The truffle cheese to start is a must!!! I love this place!
As you can tell from the picture the plate was drowning in sauce. The short ribs were more like 3 pieces of roast beef that had been overcooked. The sauce overwhelmed the entire dish and made it visually unappealing which actually matched its taste. A huge disappointment especially as the short ribs is one of the most expensive dishes on the menu $44. What rescued the rating was the pasta, bread (you had to pay extra for it), and what others were eating. I also appreciated the excellent service and extensive outdoor seating in the back.
We had a wonderful experience from the start of our dinner where we arrived 30 minutes early and still got seated to the delicious ending. The cheese selection was amazing - we relied on our server to assist with selecting a few to taste and they were wonderful! Since we were seated near the rear, we were able to watch them finish the dishes in the large cheese wheel which was quite unique! All of our main dishes (pesto, barely buzzed fettucine and seafood pasta) were al dente and fantastic. Service was casual, friendly and attentive. We'll definitely be back!
The cheese selection is out of this world. I love it. The pasta was delicious too. Just a great dining experience
Ordered delivery from here. Absolutely marvelous Italian food! Delectable lasagna beef ragout ?Perfect meat to cheese ratio. One of the top meals I had in this area. Large proportion, well worth the cost & very filling. Wish I had the chance to dine in. 100% recommend if you have the opportunity to try!!
Yikes!I'm not sure what to make of this place from this experience. I am very disappointed by our visit tonight.My friend and I made reservations for 6:30pm. They have plenty of seating indoor and a makeshift outdoor patio in the back of the restaurant (they lead you down a sketchy alley).The register/hostess stand is literally in front of the entrance- it's an awkward area because people are being escorted to their table, passing through, and trying to get seated all in the same area. Very hectic.Summary: pasta was not good, $$$Service was very good, efficient, attentiveBathroom: 1 for women, 1 for menFOOD DETAILSWe each ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Rita Medalla Real 2018 $16This complimented everything we had very well. Very smooth and easy to drink.ROASTED SEASONAL VEGETABLES $19.00This will be pictured but it was a plate of lettuce, beats, mushrooms, carrots, pepper, cauliflower, broccolini.This was as good a plate of veggies could be. Haha. Nothing too special about it.FRESH RIGATONI WITH THINLY CHOPPED SEAFOOD RAGOUT & SPINACH $29.00Included mussels, shrimp, calamari, salmon, garlic, sage, pepperoncino, light tomato sauce.I mean... I guess it makes sense because there are a variety of 4 different seafood in this pasta but it tasted like the ocean/fishy to the point I barely ate half of it. It was almost inedible. All of these seafood separately usually don't have that fishy taste so I'm curious as to whether they were fresh.I couldn't finish and I definitely didn't take it home. Which is rare for me to do.PAPPARDELLE WITH WILD BOAR RAGOUT$29.00Included large flat noodles, wild boar ragout , pinch of cinnamon, tomato sauce, parmigiano reggiano cheese.This was much better than the seafood pasta but there wasn't anything special about this either. Tasted like a typical pasta that I can make at home.They have a huge selection of cheeses that you can choose to kind of create your own charcuterie. We got the 803 TRIPLE CREAM WITH TRUFFLE for $10.00Rich and silky triple cream with black truffle/Pasteurized cow / France.Unfortunately, I couldn't really taste the truffle. It was creamy and reminded me of goat cheese.Overall-- very underwhelming tastes.I expected more because it's a fancy Italian restaurant but I was let down.If I ever do try this place again, it'll be for the cheeses and wine.