L’Oca

Kirsten Henri braves an ice storm to check out L’Oca, Fairmount’s Italian BYOB. She finds the restaurant “fair to middling.”

I’d say the neighborhood has taken to the BYOB. But for those who don’t live locally, L’Oca is less of a draw. It serves some decent fare, but nothing that elevates it beyond the middle of the Italian BYOB pack. The kitchen seems to have timing issues and the service, though friendly, makes amateur missteps.

Homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta and drizzled with brown butter, toasted walnuts and sage leaves are savory and nutty—and hard not to like. As are the short ribs—fork-tender meat colored with layers of mellow sweetness. It’s a homely heap of beef that’s reaped all of the benefits of being braised with balsamic vinegar and red wine.

Port in a Storm [Philadelphia Weekly]