La Porta Restaurant — Restaurant in Edgmont Township

Stopped here after a round of Golf at Glenn Mills (has no bar.) Considered some of the "usual suspects" like Whelihan's, but this spot was recommended, and less than 10 minutes away. FAR exceeded our expectations. Tuscan fries were REAL hand-cut with strips of eggplant and zucchini.. treated with Aioli, Balsamic Reduction, Parmigiano. Hot and ADDICTIVE. Got a second order... likewise the spicy wood-fired "Bufala" wings... Spicy Orange Marsala Glaze, Gorgonzola, Apricot & Almond were unlike anything we'd ever experienced. Decided to try the spicy mussels, which were fresh and tender and just garlicky enough. Corstini were provided to sop up the sauce. Calimari were delicate, and delicious with tempura fried veggies. Had to try a dessert, and my Celiac-suffering buddy went for the flourless chocolate cake, topped with a few raspberries that cut the richness of the dark chocolate.

Considering this was a bar menu, no more expensive than the chains, I consider this a hidden treasure. Great variety of drinks at reasonable prices, especially for the generous pours.

Mature (but still attractive) all-female bartending staff teamed up and ensured we were never wanting for anything. Charming ladies.

Will definitively return for dinner. If the bar foods are any indication of the talents of the kitchen staff, I'm certain the dinner menu will be...

This is a sweet place...casual yet fine enough to impress your boss or your in-laws. Prices are maybe $$$+, but not out of keeping with the neighborhood, and worth every penny. The papperdelle with fava beans, bacon and tomato was delizioso. I'm always leary of cream sauces...which can often turn gummy as they cool...but this was silky to the last bite. And the pasta was just right. Portions reasonable rather than overwhelming, and attractively plated. They have latched on to the haute dining idea that salt & pepper should be banished from the table, a trend I find slightly off-putting...a customer shouldn't have to feel that he's insulting the chef by asking, or, worse, asking and then waiting for the server to remember to bring it to you... but our server asked us as she served the plates, which made it gracious rather than judgementaI. Brava! I have only one minor question...explain the bread. I know the chef is Irish, but the menu is not. And if there are TWO people at the table, why THREE tiny slices? Are we supposed to duke it out for the lion's share? But given the perfection of the cream sauce on my perfectly al dente papperdelle, such a little blip can't take away that 5th star. ...

I had made a dinner reservation for this establishment on 4/12/24 @ 6 pm our first time. We entered the establishment and were warmly welcomed by the hostess, who brought us to our table, where we were welcomed by our server Matt. We ordered our drinks, my mom & I had the Italian Spritzer, a very refreshing drink, my father opted for a yuengling. For our starter we decided on the calamari, it was absolutely delicious, expertly prepared, crispy, the cherry peppers, zucchini and the lovely arugula with the light citrus dressing was remarkable. For our entrees, all three of us decided on the specials, my parents both decided on the pasta special, they both loved it, I decided on the red snapper fish special, the flavors were absolutely spot on, from the crispy skin to juicy meat, over those creamy potatoes, finished with that oil. Everything was outstanding. I ended the evening with the salted caramel gelato. I want to give a huge shout out to Chef Peter McAndrews and his entire team, from one Chef to another, Job Well Done! As a Culinarian/Foodie, I Highly Recommend La Porta Ristorante, Tell them...