Allora Truffle Week: A Tasting Menu with One True Star

I begged for reservations for Allora’s truffle week tasting menu and brought a mixed table of family and friends who had been eager to try the restaurant. Service was warm and gracious as always. The team called ahead to apologize profusely that they had run out of white truffles and offered either to reschedule us or substitute black truffles throughout the menu.

Any truffle is a good truffle, and I was not about to give up a hard-won reservation over the color of fungus. We kept the night as planned.

The tasting menu featured four courses. It was a thoughtful progression, well-paced, and clearly designed to highlight the kitchen rather than overwhelm the table.

First Course: Tartufo Crostini and Artichoke Pasta Fagioli

The crostini was crisp, flavorful, and indulgent without tipping into excess. There was just enough ooey gooey cheese to make it decadent and satisfying, the kind of bite that signals celebration. The artichoke pasta fagioli was light but flavorful. The beans were cooked perfectly, holding their shape and providing body without turning mushy. I would have loved more artichokes in the bowl. The black truffle added an earthy note, but it did not truly make sense with the dish. It was not offensive, and I do love a truffle, but this was a case where the dish was good on its own and neither needed nor particularly supported the addition. I suspect strongly that the experience would have been different with white truffles as it was originally planned by Chef Ryan Jones.

Second Course: Mortadella-Stuffed Agnolotti

The agnolotti was beautifully executed. The pasta was properly cooked and generously filled without feeling heavy. I did not register much pistachio from the pangrattato, but no one at the table cared because the sauce was extraordinary. The jus de agnello was rich, deep, and luxurious in a way that makes people stop talking mid-sentence. Every plate stayed on the table until more of the house made focaccia arrived so we could chase every last drop of that sauce. The truffle here felt incidental rather than essential, but the dish itself was so satisfying that it hardly mattered.

Third Course: Ricotta Gnocchi with Mushroom Confit

This was the weak point of the tasting menu for me. The gnocchi itself was fine but unremarkable. The mushroom confit was wonderful, earthy and well prepared, but the Castelmagno cheese was a problem. I love blue cheeses, but this one was aggressively pungent in a way that felt jarring rather than intentional. The truffle again felt ornamental rather than integrated. I did not finish the dish. My son, however, informed me that I was being ridiculous and happily finished his plate, mine, and his aunt’s, declaring it a win for him.

Fourth Course: Braised Beef Short Ribs, Butternut Crema, Fontina al Forno, and Black Truffle Emulsion

This dish was an absolute triumph. The beef was rich, buttery, and fork tender, layered with deep, satisfying flavor. The black truffle finally made sense here, melting seamlessly into the sauce and complementing rather than competing. The potatoes were crisp, cheesy, and indulgent in the best way. My son was visibly upset that no one left even a smear of sauce on the plate for him to clean up. I sincerely hope Allora adds this dish to the regular menu, with or without the truffles.

The Rest of the Evening

Pacing throughout the meal was excellent. One guest at the table does not eat truffles and ordered separately. She loved her bone marrow appetizer and her lumache pasta and declined to share even a bite with the rest of us.

Desserts delighted the table as usual, and the Italian coffee offerings were on point. I enjoyed the nonalcoholic mocktails, while my guests worked their way through cocktails and wines to enthusiastic reviews.

The Verdict

This was not a perfect truffle menu, but it was a thoughtful one. In several courses, the truffle felt decorative rather than necessary. In the final course, it was transformative.

Allora continues to evolve, refine, and listen. Even when not every element lands, the care, warmth, and ambition are unmistakable. This was a night worth having, and the kind of dinner that reminds you why people keep trying to get tables here in the first place.