We recently returned to Lapinou’s patio, the first time since last year. Although the setting remains lovely, the menu has simplified a bit, to our disappointment. Gone is the fabulous house-made ham with shaved gouda. Gone is the wonderful house-made bread that pairs wonderfully with that ham. And the dishes themselves, which still very good and well-executed, are simpler and not quite as creative and interesting.
We had a couple of glasses of wine:
- Podere Il Saliceto ‘Falistra’ Rosé 2019 - Lambrusco di Sorbara Emilia-Romagna, Italy - lightly fruity.
- Sattlerhof Sudsteiermark 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, Styria, Austria - peach candy in the nose and quite a bit of yellow pepper in the taste, also grapefruit pith over time.
A salad of butter lettuce came with a garlicky cucumber dressing, sourdough crumb, dill, blue cheese - straightforward and nicely balanced.
Porcini croqueta with truffle aioli, chanterelle conserva - pleasant, truffle-y, crunchy, but a bit oily, and fun pickled mushrooms on top.
Sea bream crudo with chili, lime, olive oil - lovely and we detected some other umami-ish ingredient.
Spaghettoni lamb amatriciana, with chili, black pepper, pecorino - great al dente noodles in a good tomato sauce, with a few pieces of fatty lamb subbing in for the guanciale.
Canestri with chunks of lobster, sauce americaine, tarragon, tomato - the best dish we had that evening.
Agnolotti filled with ricotta, with a not too rich butter and broth sauce, hen of the wood mushrooms, lots of summer truffle, and pecorino.
Coconut sorbet with grilled pineapple, rum, lime - similar to previous versions, but maybe a touch too much salt.
. Hic! 
