Humble Italian cooking comes of age in an era of refined, contemporary cuisine.
By Danielle Ransom
Get whisked into a new world at L’Oca d’Oro, where bequeathed cooking traditions and modern gastronomy techniques meet to create humble yet decadent contemporary cuisine. Italian for “golden goose,” L’Oca d’Oro offers both individual and shareable, family-style meals, making it a dining destination for both date nights and nights out with the family.
Start your night with one of the bar’s specially crafted cocktails, perhaps the Vida Blue, a blueberry-mint cava, or the Leone Sour, a mixture of Bourbon and Italian liquor with just a touch of lemon and honey. Or take a seat by the open, wood-burning grill at the butcher’s table as you sip on one of the restaurant’s Mediterranean-sourced wines or sample from the Wines on Tap menu.
While the bright, natural-light-infused modern interior (vaulted ceilings and sky-blue, gold-plastered walls lined with antique mirrors) entices you to step farther inside and take a seat, a whiff of crisp spices in the air convinces you to stay.
The restaurant rotates its menu on an almost-daily basis, meaning regulars are given a chance to sample a diverse array of seasonally inspired dishes. Some staples, though—like the homemade Italian meatballs topped with tomato jam and pecorino cheese—have earned their keep on the menu. Another regular not in the running for retirement anytime soon is the eggplant Parmesan, made with smoked chilies and stracciatella (an egg- and cheese-based Italian soup).
Open since mid-June, L’Oca d’Oro is helmed by Executive Chef Fiore Tedesco, who hails from beloved Austin joints Franklin Barbecue and Bufalina, and General Manager Adam Orman.
In what seems a fortuitous twist of fate, the restaurant is perched just a few paces from Mueller Lake Park, allowing diners to watch from afar as families and flocks of geese frolic in the sun.