Lunch at Grappa

Cool weather, a light breeze, and three birthdays to celebrate took me and my colleagues to Grappa' 72 for a workday lunch on their patio. Except for one stupid fly I wanted to shoot, it was a wonderful meal.

The heavy iron table was beautifully and simply dressed with a proper tablecloth and real napkins, important unless you prefer to spend your meal trying to keep your paper products from being swept up in the wind. Our order was sent to the kitchen within ten minutes of being seated, quickly followed by a delivery of warm, slightly charred crusty bread and an olive tapenade to keep us busy while we waited. It was nice that we also had on hand olive oil and balsamic for dipping if one prefers, which I do since my day of reckoning (140/90) and I had to start cutting back on salt.

A very yummy start.

One colleague ordered two appetizers - the Caesar salad avec anchovies and the bruschetta, both very generous servings and reportedly delicious since she didn't offer me even a nibble. The other ordered the ravioli del giorno, a four cheese creation topped with a cream sauce, peas and pancetta. Again, reportedly very good, since she didn't share that with me either. SO I ate all of my pollo alla grillia - ziti with a really garlickly cream sauce (this one not as thick as what was on the ravioli), lots of real grilled summer vegetables, chicken and herbs. I only let them taste the sauce with some of that nice bread; the sauce was absolutely delicious. I was unhappy with the wooden thyme stems and the hunk of rosemary that I had to pick out of the dish, but at least it wasn't the fly.

Even though the view was of a parking lot the setting felt private and it wasn't too noisy. The patio was covered so even if it had drizzled we would have been very comfortable. Grappa' 72 is located on Central Avenue near Colvin at the back end of a mall that runs perpendicular to Central not far from downtown Albany. Plenty of parking, and if you wiggle your way out via the Hannaford's parking lot next door there's a light so you can make your left turn and speed back to work. Not that we had to. The food was delivered freshly prepared and in very good time. Kudos to Grappa' for remembering that us working stiffs have to get back to the office before the afternoon is wasted.

All agreed we would return! And the best part, we had a $40 gift certificate that I purchased for only $20 through MetroMarket, which covered the bill (we didn't have drinks or dessert).

Here I am over an hour later and I reek of garlic. Good thing I'm single.