I've known about La Cena for quite a while now and somehow had never made it over to Fayetteville to eat there. This is what I knew: La Cena was very good. La Cena was pricey. La Cena was owned by the chef-owner of Alto Cinco Johanna Yorke. La Cena was hard to find. Only about half of that information was correct. La Cena was great. La Cena was as expensive as other restaurants of its caliber--a good range of prices but certainly not overpriced. La Cena is indeed owned by the good folks at Alto Cinco (is that an upside down hand at the entrance--an inside counter-reference to Alto Cinco which means "high five"? And yes La Cena was hard to find.
In fact it was so hard to find that our caravan of four cars never would have eaten there if we didn't have an able guide to show us the way. And even then it felt like we were on some secret mission that ended down a dark driveway that led to the back of an otherwise "regular" looking late 19th century house. There were no signs out front, no clue to tel you of the treasures that lay in store.
But isn't that the way with many of the gems of Syracuse? You have to hunt a bit to find them--it takes a little work but the rewards are generous. Such is the case at La Cena.
Off the top, La Cena gets points for its wonderfully inventive menu--a mix of north African and Mediterranean cuisine. A large swath of territory to be sure. Their menu is divided up into small plates ($5-9.00) and large plates ($14-22.00). Salads are also availble. Small plates such as grilled scallions with salsa romescu, sauteed wild mushrooms and leeks with sherry, and a amanida (like an antipasto plate) featuring serrano ham and house-made pickles and house cured salmon tell you that this is a unique place.
On Sundays, the menu is devised based on what's available and so changes week by week--gotta love that. And after a long 12 hours of work I could think of no better way to end the day. With seven in our party for a birthday celebration we were able to make our 8:00 reservation and were seated promptly upon arrival. Entering La Cena is like entering another world. A world of Moorish arches, tile mosaics and ceiling murals that makes Syracuse seen far, far away.
Water glasses filled, drink orders taken, and out comes grilled bread (crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside) along with bowls of fava and white bean puree. Yum. Among the seven of us we ended up ordering the same three dishes: Moroccan chicken, Coq au Vin, and lamb chops. Due to the lateness of the hour we dispensed with the appetizer/small plate course.
The Moroccan Stewed Chicken is a standard on the menu--and for good reason. Exquisitely tender chicken surrounded by olives, preserved lemon halves, dried plums and saffron was spicy, complex, and delicious. The Coq au Vin was just the comfort food I was looking for--the chicken was infused with red wine but not overwhelmed by it. Mushrooms (which had retained their bite and flavor) were little surprises sprinkled throughout the dish. in the center sat the smashed potatoes. These were treated gingerly. They were not so much smashed as gently broken up--a good thing too because they would not have stood up to the chicken otherwise. The Cambria Syrah I ordered was the perfect match for this red-wine dish. The Birthday Girl ordered the lamb chops--I didn't taste them but there were no complaints and lots of "mmm" sounds.
The meal would have been a hit without dessert but the tiramisu birthday cake brought out by a trio serenading "Happy Birthday" was one of the finest I'd ever had. It was not overpowered by the espresso. It was not bitter. It was all sweetness and light--the cream layer simply floated it was so light. This is the real deal and would be worth a return on its own merits.
La Cena means "evening meal"--such a quotidian word for such an exceptional dining experience. I'm already planning our return visit. No directions needed.
La Cena is located at 105 West Genesee Street in Fayetteville (on the left side of the road as you enter the village of Fayetteville in the back of red house.) For directions, reservations, and questions call 637-3388.
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