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A review of Piatto Cucina Italiana eatery.
Piatto means “dish” in Italian, which is where an array of fresh Italian flavors culminates before patrons at the newly opened Piatto Cucina Italiana eatery at Tulsa Hills. Italian native Angelo Amabile and co-owner Marcia Harris, along with chef Marcus Vause, have one simple philosophy for creating an authentic Italian dining experience: “Use the best ingredients and do with them as little as possible.” I accepted the invitation to put their motto to the test.
Four of us ventured out into the night chill for a sneak-peak opening the last Saturday in February. Our friends found Piatto readily, but we had to make a u-turn after missing the sign for the restaurant’s discreet location at the southeast corner of the Lowe’s big box. Parking was ample for our 7:30 p.m. reservation, and once inside we were warmly greeted and offered a seat in the bar until our table was ready.
A cascade of water behind the wall of spirits created an impressive separation between the main dining area and bar seating, which also hosted diners, and the décor was simple and intimate with dark, rich colors and subdued lighting.
I ordered a glass of wine, and everyone else enjoyed a beer that, unfortunately, was not on tap because there were no keg brews, a surprising drawback. The bottled beer selection was decent, and the wine list was reasonable in both selection and price. Our wait was short as our table became available almost immediately after ordering libations, so we moved into the main dining room past the double-door private wine room to our left (a beautifully appointed space that accommodates up to 42 guests and features a state-of-the-art A/V system).
High-back, dark leather chairs were comfortable, which was a good thing because we waited quite a while for our waiter — most likely a result of this evening’s “soft opening” training opportunity. While we waited (again) for a round of drinks, we perused the diverse and typically-Italian a la carte menu, which was descriptive, reasonably priced and true to the purveyors’ emphasis on simplicity. We each ordered pasta, of course; Joe had the Lasagna della Mamma (a family recipe), and Alice, Scott and I ordered the Fettuccine alla Panna. The kitchen graciously accommodated two of us with a request for salmon rather than the chicken, shrimp and scallop choices on the menu. The waiter promptly brought bread sticks, which looked like biscotti and were quite tasty with the olive oil pepper butter accompaniment.
Because we like to talk a lot, the lengthy wait for our entrees was more enjoyable than annoying, and again likely due to working out the kinks of a new opening. Don’t get me wrong, the service was very pleasant and accommodating, just slow. Once the food arrived, our reports were unanimous: excellent fare, especially for Joe who clearly enjoyed a multi-layered, thick slice of heritage lasagna. Our fettuccine portions were ample, and our entrees did indeed hold true to the restaurant’s mantra. I’m particular about my salmon (my husband calls it high maintenance), and would have preferred it char-grilled and atop the pasta, rather than cooked and mixed in, but the seasonings and sauces were delicious.
We were more promptly offered dessert, which was delizioso. The classic Italian tiramisu was spot on, and everyone else enjoyed the crostata — spiced apples, caramel gelato and sugared walnut crumbs — and the torte (torta), sponge-like chocolate espresso cake with hazelnut gelato and candied lemon peel. Alice’s coffee arrived promptly as well, and we finished our Tuscan evening in south Tulsa “dishing” about our food, a fitting conclusion to our Piatto Cucina Italiana experience. Our overall assessment: 7 of 10, which will certainly improve when we return to sample another fine entrée, a more experienced wait staff and, perhaps, a tap selection.
By the numbers
7153 S. Olympia Ave. West, Tulsa Hills
71st at Highway 75
918-770-0719
11 a.m.–10 p.m., Monday-Thursdays
11 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday-Saturdays
11 a.m.–9 p.m., Sundays
Rating: 7 of 10 — will go again
