Lucca

Excellent four course fixed menu. Everything we ordered was great. What set the experience apart was the impeccable service. The ambiance is very minimalist and modern - loved it. The pastas were our favorite part of the meal and we loved that all portions were right, not excessive.. so you could eat and actually enjoy the meal and not feel overstuffed.

My friends took me here for my birthday a few months ago and wow, everything was so good!!! The portions were honestly perfect. Definitely one of my favorites as a Des Moines transplant. The restaurant itself is so beautiful and the staff is genuinely nice and so efficient. Looking forward to my next visit!

Lucca (Thu, 03/24) The Dinner Club is working our way through our looooong list of places we want to attend.  And, most all of us were first-timers on Thursday night.  Steve, the owner, assured our experience was incredible.  A personal introduction, wine recommendations, and a complementary cabernet for our club to (thoroughly) enjoy! You choose from their selection, your first three courses (salad, pasta, protein) then enjoy a dessert plate with portions of each selection.  Robert, our server, was patient with our quickly sidetracked group.  He was prompt, patient, and quick to refill our bread! Let's dig into the food!  No complaints with our first course as the various salads were dressed proportionately and delicious.  The second course?  This is where we may have been a little loud as we exclaimed our excitement with our personal selection.  And, we passed our dishes around for everyone to try.  Gnocchi, rigatoni, etc.:  perfectly prepared, cheesy, well-seasoned...I could go on and on! I believe we covered every option in the fourth course, and in the words of Janice from Friends:  "Oh.  My.  God!"  I can personally attest to the ribeye, scallops, chicken parmesan, and salmon.  I'm hesitant with scallops as I find them cooked poorly and/or tasting far too 'fishy'.  You won't find me saying any of that because they were incredible. The portions are perfect.   We only had one club member ask for a box and we are all still judging her for not cleaning her plate like we all did with each course. The only constructive feedback is the final course:  dolci.  We had a cookie, gelatin, flour less brownie, and palette cleanser.  The cookie was across-the-board approved, but after that the reviews were mixed and we traded like we had pogs in junior high.  I believe there is an opportunity to elevate the dessert selection to meet the level of the rest of the course - and, perhaps showcase local dessert businesses with their amazing selections.  The palette cleanser was a cucumber and mint shooter.  It was sweet and pointed.  I gladly traded for all those and am trying to figure out how to recreate in my own home. Overall, we recommend Lucca.  While small selections can leave customers hesitant, we know you'll find exactly what you want with what their amazing staff is creating.  Cheers!

Amazing pasta! Two times I have gone now during lunch to order the Salmon pasta. It's only $13 which I believe is a great deal. The food came out in 5 to 10 min it was so quick. Staff has always been friendly. I took two friends here and they both loved it as well! Environment is super cute. I love the architecture of the building as well. Couldn't recommend this place more for a good lunch or cute date.