Foodie Vue: La Porta of Northport

61 Main St, Northport, NY  – (631) 239-6062
laportanorthport.com

Recently opening up in the quaint Village of Northport comes a contemporary restaurant that has transformed the mainstream pizzeria motif.  A newcomer to the neighborhood, La Porta can best be described as the kind of place where you can get delicious Italian fare that appeals to a new world order of diners. La Porta is a modern, trendy eatery that offers a cozy ambience that encourages a social kind of vibe. It was a vision that was realized by the owner, Rob Simmons, to make La Porta a destination for its patrons.

During the warmer months La Porta expands its space by completely opening up the entire front of the building for alfresco dining. What sets this trendy trattoria apart from the rest is their authentic old world Neapolitan pizzas, all created from their wood fired brick oven that was imported from Italy.

The menu at La Porta is simple yet diversified enough that allows you to make several visits without having the same thing twice. Their Neapolitan pies are the center piece of the menu, boasting a beautifully thinned crust with raised edges that delivers a unique spectrum of flavors and textures. With over a dozen pies to choose, it’s best to go with a group so you can try at least two to three different pizzas.

All of their artisan masterpieces are served up fresh to order directly from their wood fired oven. A popular crowd pleaser is The “Carmine” made with fresh tomato sauce, perfectly melted mozzarella, pepperoni with a hot honey drizzle that is going viral right now! Savory, sweet with a little heat offers the perfect balance. Another popular favorite amongst La Porta loyalists is the “Antonio” made with ricotta, fresh mozzarella, garlic, broccoli rabe and Italian sausage. It has everything you want in a pie, but if that’s not enough La Porta allows you to over indulge and add on as many toppings as you like, Sixteen in all!

There are of course a generous selection of fresh made pastas too, like their Bolognese made with tagliatelle, which is a long flat egg pasta that pairs well with slowly cooked veal and beef, braised in a rich full body tomato sauce. During the winter months it is the comfort food obsession. The Shrimp Scampi Linguini is a wonderful share along with the Bolognese. A bright tasting seafood pasta dish with plump shrimp in a garlicky lemon, white wine, and butter sauce. Rich in flavor yet a little on the lighter side for a pasta… just a little!

There are a handful of entrees that were hand selected by the resident chef designed to appeal to all that love Italian. The Eggplant Parmigiana made with fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce is a simple dish yet is prepared with a more authentic Italiano touch. Lighter on the cheese with a delicate balance of sauce that allows all of the fresh ingredients to shine through.

To finish off your La Porta experience, the creme de la creme, for me is their Dark Chocolate Flourless Cake. Absolutely decadent and with a cappuccino, simply Magnifico.

Congrats to La Porta for your contribution for influencing the trend of many more exciting changes that are taking place in the beautiful village of Northport.