Vita – Italian for ‘Oh my god, this is the best food ever!’
After the photo show, my friends and I adjourned to Vita for dinner. Located in the building that formerly housed Mick’s of lower Buckhead / upper Midtown, Vita is the latest venture of Tony LaRocco, the restauranteur who also owned Fratelli di Napoli. My friend that was master of ceremonies for the evening is a personal friend of Tony’s, so I knew we were all in for an unexpected treat.
Upon entering, I was totally taken by the transformation of the interior of the restaurant. Some subtle but very effective upgrades have created a refined atmosphere with a slight nod to Hollywood-era classic elegance. Ruby-colored tablecloths play against golden hued walls and rich mahogany wood accents, adding warmth to the huge dining area. The close arrangement of tables adds a sense of intimacy to the wide-open space. On the small stage at the center of the room, a modern-day chanteuse accompanied by a three-piece band was belting out a soulful ballad and shaking her shimmy well enough to compete with any Vegas nightclub act. Scanning the rest of the place, I half-expected to see a cigarette girl hurry by on her way to a table full of well-heeled mobster types. And…I wasn’t entirely disappointed. No disrespect intended, but Tony LaRocco pretty much embodies every visual stereotype of an Italian goodfella you’ve seen in the movies. But his easy genteelness and unaffected charm totally softens the tough guy image.
After greeting us all graciously and seating us at a table close to the entertainment action, Tony made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. “Do you guys wanna order from the menu, or do you want me to order for you?” Let me tell you something. When the owner of one of Atlanta’s best Italian restaurants offers to order your dinner, you do not turn him down. You might also do yourself a favor and forget about any kind of diet you might be on, because you won’t stand a chance resisting the food that comes out of Vita’s kitchen.
An efficient and unobtrusive waitstaff proceeded to deliver a steady stream of family-sized plates to our table. First to arrive were calamari fritti with two sauces – a spicy tomato and a roasted red pepper, mussels in a sauce of white wine and gorgonzola, and a chef’s spinach salad with a creamy gorgonzola dressing. If the meal had ended there, I would have been totally satisfied, but there was much more in store. Rigatoni ala vodka arrived next, followed by Mediterranean garlic filet, and parmesan crusted swordfish. Every dish was more exquisite than the next, the rigatoni’s sauce was like velvet, the filet perfectly cooked and seasoned just right, the swordfish – a fresh piece of heaven in a flaky, buttery crust. We ended the meal with a sampling of desserts, among them berries zabaglione, cheesecake, and… honestly, I forget what else. At that point, they could have served me a boot on a plate and I’d have gobbled it up with a smile.
Tony joined us at the table for a short while during each course, sharing a few tidbits on each of the dishes we were eating and a little about his inspiration for the restaurant. “Vita,” he explained, “is Italian for life. Good food, good music, good company…that’s what life is really about, you know?” All I could think was, “Ah, a man after my own heart.”
Company and personal attention aside, I can honestly say that it was one of the best meals I’ve had this year.
the saga continues…
k
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