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The Menu at Locanda, Illustrated

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One of our favorite things on the menu is the newest: this fiorellini pasta dish with squash blossoms.

It’s been six weeks or so since Locanda opened its doors on Valencia Street, and because of all the buzz and the Delfina pedigree, chef Anthony Strong’s been playing to a packed house since day one. The style of the food is distinct from Delfina, though, in that it’s a California spin on a classic Roman osteria — but, like owner Craig Stoll put it, “It’s like if the Mission were another neighborhood in Rome.” Today, for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, or for those of you just in the mood for some food porn, we bring you (almost) the whole menu, in pictures.

This Roman style pork jerky is actually traditionally made with horse meat, chef Anthony Strong tells us, and it’s pretty declassé back in Rome. His pork version is marinated in Campari and dusted with chiles and fennel pollen, and is offered as a bar snack.
Another delicious item on the bar menu are these well seasoned, herb-y lamb riblets, served with a cucumber salad.
This starter is a deep-fried artichoke served with mint and lemon.
This glorious, bright and earthy dish is garnished with lemon zest, brown butter, and bottarga.
With the caveat on the menu “it’s not pizza,” this classic Roman snack is basically focaccia, sliced open and toasted, and comes topped with either mortadella and pepperoncinis, or house-cured lardo that melts right into it.
A very Californian mix of twelve different herbs and greens, tossed with a Banyuls vinaigrette.
Think of it like the Roman version of egg drop soup.
This delicious salad is served with grilled ricotta salata, wild arugula, and avocado.
Hands down, this may be our favorite dish on the menu. Try to get past the name, and you will be delighted by the tenderest meat and a bright, delectable salsa verde. Mixed with shaved celery and gaeta olives, it makes for a divine bite.
These are garnished with fried sage and parsley.
Braised oxtails, in a rich, wine-y sauce, round out the Quinto Quarto (offal) section of the menu.
A nice intro into the pasta section of the menu, this simple dish is accented by verjus (unfermented grape juice), and chicories.
This dish packs a wallop, heat-wise, with a hefty helping of padron peppers sauteed in oil with fresh local anchovies and breadcrumbs. Good stuff.
This classic Roman dish is one of several spots on the menu where Chef Anthony Strong proves his salt in getting the staples right. The sauce is a deeply satisfying and layered mix of tomato, guanciale, pepperoncini, and pecorino.
These “little radiators” are one of several extruded pastas that are new to the Delfina group’s canon, and this dish is a tasty mix of lamb ragu, pecorino, and mint.
Another classic of Roman fare, Strong’s carbonara is simple and delicious, with an egg-y sauce of pecorino, black pepper, and guanciale.
One of the newest items on the menu is this delicious spring pasta that may be our new favorite. The little “flowers” are stuffed with ricotta and tossed with squash blossoms, herbs, and pine nuts.
The grilled bavette is served simply with grilled treviso.
Strong’s preparation of guinea hen is a ballantine, more or less, and it’s served with chicories and lentils.
This skewered cuttlefish dish with a smear of black olive paste is new to the menu and served with the most insanely good green beans tossed generously with pecorino.
Our favorite among the charcoal grilled entrees is this amazing lamb chop served with pureed garbanzo beans, anchovy, and lettuce.
Among the side dishes are braised coriander carrots served with grapes, snap peas with mint and spring onion, and some delicious Barlotti beans “con cotiche,” which means, “with bacon rind.”
We’ll only show you this one dessert, since the dessert menu changes pretty frequently. This is the granita made with Cesanese wine and served with black pepper panna.
The Menu at Locanda, Illustrated