For a Delicious Italian Meal in the Heart of Forest Hills: “La Vigna”

Sometimes joy can find you when you least expect it.

I found my way into La Vigna one afternoon when I was in desperate need of a good meal with my extended family. A simple Google search of restaurants in the area was all it took to find this little gem.

We walked in not too long after they opened. The place had several tables already full but they were happy to put a few others together in order to accommodate our large party. Upon reviewing the menu we found a price fixe deal that seemed too good to be true. For the price of a semi decent lunch out in Manhattan we got a two course meal (with an option to add a side of pasta to those entrees that were served without) plus tea or coffee. We were all beyond starving so we couldn't wait to order.

Along with my glass of white wine, I went with the stuffed mushrooms as my appetizer and the chicken parmesan as my entree. I have been in this predicament too many times to guess how it is going to go. I am almost always wrong. When it comes to Italian restaurants I am walking into cold I always want to believe it will be delicious but I hate to get my order wrong! No matter what I am craving it always appears to be a crap shoot. But here at La Vigna I would be cleaning up big time and happy to eat my words………and meal.

The appetizers arrived first and as I watched all of the different orders get passed around I had a good feeling, more like a good sense of smell. Everything looked and smelled better than the next. I was incredibly pleased I didn't order something mundane like a salad . My stuffed mushrooms were the best I have had since I made Julia Child’s recipe on Christmas Day (http://bit.ly/2ipWXyb).

As for my pollo parmigiana as it read on the menu, I don't think I can remember a better version. I am usually hesitant that the chicken will not be properly cooked and that the sauce will not meet my standards. However both worries were instantly washed away within one bite. I can still hear the oohs and ahhs all around me and it seems that there wasn't an unsatisfied customer among us. We are a picky group so that was no small feat. I wafted down my entire plate like it was my last supper. I feared anyone wanting to try a piece for it would be one less that I would be able to have.

Every day since this meal I have been planning a return visit. The only problem will be deciding what to order next.

For More Information:

http://www.lavignany.com

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