Whenever you are hosting an event or party, the first rule is not to run out of food. Unfortunately, the owners of L'Avventura Restaurant forget this rule every once in awhile. Adjacent to Vinegar Hill Theatre on Market Street, the blonde wood interior and sharply angled dining area provide a modern setting for an elegant dinner while the kitchen provides a modern interpretation of classical Italian cuisine. Its location and atmosphere cater perfectly to an evening on the Downtown Mall or a trip to the cinema. Both times we have dined at L'Avventura, however, they have run out of several different menu options. Since their selection is not especially large, running out of items leaves gaping holes in the menu. This can be frustrating since their food is so good.
The dining room, long and slender in shape, gives way to several coves housing the kitchen, coat racks and restrooms. The small bar rests in the entrance to the restaurant and services the handful of booths of varying size. Vases on each table contain freshly picked tulips, which mirror the tulips in the flower boxes just outside the windows. A small decorated ceramic dish greets you at the table and is soon filled with nutty olive oil to accompany the complimentary rustic bread.
Those cheese lovers desirous of tasting opportunities are given a selection of seven cheeses and asked to choose four ($8). These cheeses are served in healthy quantities with the same hearth-baked Italian bread and the taste is highlighted with toasted walnuts. Many of the cheeses on the menu are piquant, though they offer a few milder options. The goat cheese, Cacio de roma, Fontina and Romano are all superb, assuming you are a cheese person. The owner offered us a very gracious accompanying taste of red wine on the house to bring out the flavors of the cheeses.
An elegant appetizer to try is the grilled asparagus with rosemary, goat cheese and bruschetta ($7). There are a fair number of asparagus spears, and the goat cheese is an unobtrusive addition. The toasted bread beneath serves as a nice way to soak up the extra spices and cheese.
The grilled loin of tuna over soft polenta ($19) usually comes with tomatoes and spinach, but the kitchen substituted asparagus as the available green on our visit. The fish is fair, not as fresh and tender as the finest restaurants in Charlottesville, but better than one can find most places. The filet is quite large and the dish has a beautiful presentation, and the colored vegetables spread across the large, attractive platter.
(Pizza is great when they have it).
The grilled lemon pepper chicken ($16) is accompanied by baby greens and roasted potatoes. The chicken rests on a bed of fancy salad greens, which are oddly warmed. The potatoes are delicious and bite size, and the breast of chicken is pleasantly blackened and spiced.
The nightly dessert special was a pudding and custard hybrid with honey drizzled on top. Frankly, although unusual, the custard does not measure up to the gelato. It is not very sweet and therefore allows the honey to dominate the dish's foundation, which is oddly presented haphazardly splattered onto a plain black plate.
The chocolate gelato can be served plain with a fresh sprig of mint, or it can be served sundae-style with whipped cream and caramel sauce. Pure, sweet, and one hundred times better than plain old ice cream, gelato is always a treat. L'Avventura's is homemade and passes the quality test.
Like so many of the finer restaurants in Charlottesville, L'Avventura couples its wine selections with its servings very carefully. The care that goes into the milieu is apparent, and the dining environment is classy and inviting in its simplicity. The word 'L'Avventura' comes from a film by Antonioi, a great Italian director. It means "special adventure," and a trip to L'Avventura can be just that. The restaurant is highly recommendable, we just suggest you call ahead to reserve the food for your dinner.
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