La Rustica, An Hour Away, Worth the Drive
An hour to get to dinner gives a restaurant a considerable burden of proof to meet. By the time I arrived at La Rustica in Summerville, I wanted more than a pleasant plate of pasta. I wanted a reason to make that drive again.
I got several. One involved squid ink. Another involved garlic bread. The only injury arose from an unauthorized encounter with a cactus, which we will address separately.
I went with a group of lawyers and paralegals who work beautifully together and who are genuinely good people. There is something particularly lovely about sitting down with people whose competence you appreciate all day and whose company you enjoy after the work is done. We ate outside on a beautiful evening, and the service was as warm as the Southern breeze and just as charming.
The company put me in a good mood. The kitchen earned the rest.
The Opening Evidence:
The house-made garlic bread made an immediate and compelling appearance: crisp outside, soft and gloriously garlicky inside. This was bread worth eating even with a substantial pasta order pending. I understood the consequences and proceeded voluntarily. We call this assumption of the risk.
The house-made sausage was packed with flavor, with the spices working together beautifully. No single seasoning overwhelmed the others. Every bite gave you plenty to enjoy without turning into a referendum on fennel or garlic. (Yes, I know the pictures look vaguely obscene but these were some of the most delicious sausages available in the greater Charleston area).
The calamari was fresh, wearing a light batter that stayed pleasantly free of grease. The porchetta bruschetta delivered tender, flavorful pork. The classic tomato bruschetta was equally satisfying in a different way, popping with bright tomato flavor without the harsh acidity that sometimes passes for freshness.
Even the house salad deserved attention. Its lovely light vinaigrette made it a welcome part of the meal, and we were only getting started.
The Principal Witness: Squid Ink Seafood Linguine
Of course I ordered the squid ink seafood pasta.
This is a dish with ample opportunity for misconduct. Tough pasta. Rubbery calamari. Overcooked shellfish. A heavy sauce that buries everything you wanted to taste. Get several kinds of seafood into one bowl and the kitchen has a timing problem before it even considers the pasta.
In this case, La Rustica got it right.
The fresh black linguine was tender and rich in flavor. The seafood was exceptionally fresh and perfectly cooked. Nothing had been pushed past its proper moment. The calamari, clams, mussels, and prawns each held their own, brought together by a light tomato sauce with the slightest touch of heat.
That sauce deserves particular credit. It gave the dish brightness and cohesion while allowing the seafood and pasta to remain distinct pleasures. There was enough flavor to make every forkful interesting, and enough restraint to let the ingredients do their work.
It was my favorite dish of the evening. Looking at the photograph afterward, I wanted it again immediately. That is probably the most useful piece of evidence I can offer: I had already made the drive, eaten the meal, and returned home, and the picture alone had me considering another trip.
The Rest of the Table Made a Strong Case:
The carbonara was perfectly executed. The rigatoni was cooked exactly right, and the dish was rich with flavor without greasy heaviness. It delivered the satisfaction you want from carbonara and kept delivering it through the next bite.
Then there was the chicken parm.
Boy howdy.
The chicken was thick, with a crisp coating and a beautifully juicy interior. Getting that combination right matters, particularly with a substantial piece of chicken under tomato sauce and melted cheese. Here, the coating, meat, sauce, and pasta all deserved their place on the plate. The tomato sauce was excellent, and the accompanying pasta was perfectly cooked.
Chicken parm may be familiar, but this one commanded attention. I was very glad someone had ordered it.
Two members of our group ordered the enormous bone-in tomahawk pork chop special, served with seasonal vegetables and pasta. These were substantial enough to make you reconsider the structural capacity of the table. I obtained a bite and loved it. Both people who ordered them ate their entire chops.
I submit those clean plates as persuasive evidence of the quality of the food presented.
The Rigatoni Filetto al Barbera, with sliced filet mignon in a sauce of Barbera wine, tomato, and a touch of cream, disappeared without my securing a sample. I therefore cannot give you a personal tasting verdict. I can report that its recipient ate nearly every bite and took the rest home. That is a fairly unambiguous review.
The Scampi allo Spiedo, pancetta-wrapped grilled prawns served with pasta featuring lemon, garlic, artichokes, and capers, was bright and tasty. The prawns were slightly overcooked. That was the small execution miss in a meal with a lot of moving parts, and the flavor still gave us plenty to enjoy.
Closing Arguments, With Fire:
Dessert arrived with a little sanctioned arson.
A chocolate sphere was flambéed tableside, supplying blue flames and an excellent reason to stop talking for a moment. The dark chocolate coating around chocolate and vanilla gelato and real whipped cream on top of a brownie made the eating as enjoyable as the presentation.
Bellissima.
By then, the bread and pasta had already sent my blood sugar considerably higher than I wanted, so I limited myself to a single bite. My friends were happy to take responsibility for my share. Their willingness to assist was immediate and thorough.
I appreciated that the dessert lived up to its entrance. Tableside flames create expectations. This one had the chocolate to support them.
Hospitality and Other Material Facts:
The cocktails were solid and enjoyed by everyone who ordered them. I had unsweet tea, and my glass stayed full. That is a small service detail with considerable influence over my happiness, particularly during a long meal with good company.
Plating is rustic as the photos show and the restaurant's name suggests; however, with food this good, who cares? I'd rather eat delicious food than have picture perfect plates.
Parking was easy. We had a lovely evening outside. The service had warmth and charm, and the whole experience gave us room to enjoy the food and one another.
This was one of the best nights I have had for the combination of food and company. We tasted widely, shared bites, admired one another’s orders, and had plenty of reasons to keep eating. The kitchen sustained the pleasure across a substantial portion of the menu.
A Brief Collateral Matter:
On the way out, Noel attempted to acquire a prickly pear in the dark.
The cactus objected.
Twenty-four hours later, she was still picking cactus daggers out of her hand. Apparently, enthusiasm for local produce does not establish a right of possession, and this particular property owner had an unusually effective enforcement policy.
The cactus successfully defended its interests. We will leave it out of the restaurant’s service rating.
The Verdict:
La Rustica has taken the lead in my hunt for great Italian barely edging out my usual favorite Allora (and only because I haven't convinced Ryan Jones to make me squid ink pasta on the regular).
The squid ink seafood linguine alone gives me a reason to return, but the breadth of the meal is what made the evening so convincing. Excellent bread, balanced sausage, fresh calamari, bright bruschetta, beautifully cooked pasta, juicy chicken parm, and pork chops that left two diners staring at bare bones. With warm service, easy parking, and a table full of people I was happy to spend the evening with, and the drive became an easy expense to justify.
One meal establishes a strong case. I intend to conduct further discovery at my earliest convenience.
This evening was totally worth the trip. Any future theft should be limited to a forkful from your neighbor’s plate.
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