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Great News! Goes Out..... La Taverna
The Great News! Goes Out article will feature Kristin (Cooking School Director) and Kelsey (Cooking School Assistant Manager) as they sample various dishes around San Diego. Please feel free to email customerservice@great-news.com to recommend any restaurants you would like to see featured.
This month we wanted to dine at a restaurant where we knew the food was going to be phenomenal. If you have not eaten at Mary Ann Vitale's restaurant La Taverna in La Jolla, or come to one of her classes here at Great News! we are sure you will be making a reservation after reading this review. La Taverna provides a very intimate dining experience and the night we went Mary Ann happened to be there dining with her family which was a wonderful treat.
The Flatbread was the first item on the menu we had the pleasure of tasting. The bread was topped with spinach, caramelized onions and cheese. This dish had a beautiful balance of sweet and salty flavors and the bread had the perfect crispiness. The flatbread was a great way to start our celebration of Italian carnival!
 
Next we went for a lighter dish and one true to the theme of the restaurant, Insalata La Taverna. The salad consisted of a bed of field greens tossed with balsamic vinaigrette sprinkled with crisp granny smith apples, imported gorgonzola cheese and caramelized walnuts.
Mary Ann Vitale is known for her pasta and with all of the pasta choices on the menu we decided to have the Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Dulci sauce and wilted spinach topped with toasted walnuts and parmesan. Needless to say this was a very decadent dish but one that leaves you wanting to lick your plate clean.
 
About twice a quarter Mary Ann teaches her Hands On Sausage Making class at Great News! and when we saw the homemade sausage plate on the menu we knew we couldn't pass that up! The seasonings in the sausage are impeccable and do not take away from the true star of the dish, the meat.
One specialty entrée on the menu is the Risotto del Giorno (risotto of the day), a true Italian classic! That night was a Caprese risotto, a twist on the classic salad. The risotto had pieces of smooth Mozzarella and slices of cherry tomatoes. The creaminess of the cheese really rounded out this dish! But then again, knowing Mary Ann, all of the risottos featured at her restaurant will be just as fantastic.
 
Last but certainly not least and our absolute favorite dessert of all time... Mary Ann's Famous Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting. We have been begging her for years to tell us her secret, but we will never know. This sweet and dense cake topped with toasted pecans and apples is something you will have to try, trust us when we say, this will be something you will be craving once you've indulged.
Something that is unique to La Taverna is their Monday and Thursday night Tuscan Menu. If you dine on either of these nights you have an option for a special menu. For $24.95 you receive an appetizer, first course, entrée, salad AND a dessert (the banana cake is an option!). You can't beat this price!
Mary Ann Vitale also has a specialty deli, Sorrella Della Taverna in La Jolla where you can find gourmet Italian specialties. So if you've taken her classes at Great News!, eaten at her restaurant and deli; the only thing left to do is have your next party catered by her. See website for details.
Location & Hours of Operation
La Taverna
927 Silverado St
La Jolla, CA92037
www.lataverna.com
Lunch
Wednesday to Friday
11:00am - 2:00pm
Dinner
Monday to Saturday
5:30pm - 9:30pm
Sorella Della Taverna
7420 Girard Ave
La Jolla, CA 92037
www.lataverna.com
Monday to Friday
8:30am to 6:00pm
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