Review
La Fontana is an Italian restaurant within the Viking Triangle in Waterford City. La Fontana is on the Quay and faces towards the water. Enrico Mastrocicco is the chef/patron and his menu of authentic Italian food makes La Fontana a treat.
The restuarant in on a corner site and is traditional, with a red and white colour scheme and large windows, while inside it is cosy with stylish wooden tables and chairs and a bar area. Exposed brickwork contrasta with smooth cream walls and some pillars divide the room, giving the illusion of separate areas. There is a larger dining room at the rear, which doubles as an overflow at weekends or as a space for private parties.
There are two menu options, an early bird with offers four courses for €20, and the A la carte.
The A la Carte is divided into antipasti, primi, secondi, pizza, contorni and dolce; so it is possible to eat like and Italian here. I was eating alone, on a stop off in Waterford on the way to Cork, so after settling down with some sparkling water and a glass of white wine, I decided to do just that.
I started with a selection of grilled seafood on a small leaf salad. Prawns and calamari wire really good, but the grilled scallops with the taste of the grill were wonderful. The primi piatta of spaghetti marinara kept up the maritime theme, with perfectly al dente spaghetti and a delicious sauce with cherry tomato, white wine and garlic which coated the pasta, and was light and delicious, with a big punch of flavour.
The secondi or the main course was definitely in the Italian style. I had had my carbs with the pasta, so my sliced grilled fillet steak - Tagliata de carne – was wonderfully tender steak, served sliced with rocket, parmesan cheese with squeezed lemon and olive oil dressing. This is a great way to enjoy some serious red meat and not leave the table feeling like you are fir to burst.
I finished with a coffee and a glass or two of grappa, the traditional Italian degistivo. Dinner in La Fontana was wonderful. This is an Italian that takes pride in cooking the wonderful food of this country properly, without bowing to the weird Irish versions of Italian food that litter Ireland’s culinary landscape like ideas in search of a reason.
La Fontana is bound to please anyone who appreciates Italian food as it should be.
