Restaurant review: La Locanda, Main Street, Gisburn, Clitheroe BB7 4HH

Celebrating their 21st anniversary at La Locanda, chef Maurizio Bocchi and his wife Cinzia have been delighting customers with their unique blend of culinary masterpieces and homestyle charm for two delightful decades.

I have written many stories over the years celebrating La Locanda’s many achievements – industry awards and accolades – but had never dined there myself, until very recently when I was lucky enough with my partner to be treated to a very special tasting experience.

One of the many charms of La Locanda is its intimate and homely setting, think small boutique restaurant, and this is immediately felt when walking through its doors.

We were greeted in true traditional Italian style by Cinzia, as if she was welcoming us to her home, which in many senses of the word, she was.

Our experience, for this was not just a meal, began with an apéritif. Naturally, I opted for the classic Milanese cocktail Negroni, composed of Campari, gin and Vermouth. Andrea chose a refreshing non-alcoholic Crodino, which gives that Aperol feeling without the alcohol.

Drinks out of the way, for now, we were led upstairs to a tasteful rustic dining room where we began our experience with a traditional Italian stuzzichini.

Laid before us was a smorgasbord of goodness – Maurizio’s own hand-crafted breads, leavened for 24 hours. This was accompanied by Pane Toscano, Ligurian focaccia and grissini, as well as Sardinian pane Carasau with Col D’Orcia Tuscany extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh chopped rosemary and garlic.

As if this wasn’t enough, there were three more “topped” slices of bread heaven.

A traditional bruschetta al pomodoro, from Tuscany. Toasted pane Toscano topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic, Col D’Orcia Tuscany extra virgin olive oil and basil.

Crostone rustico – a toasted pane Toscano topped with cavolo nero, Tuscan sausage and Pecorino Romano DOP cheese; and finally a crostone gorgonzola e N’Duja – bread topped with Calabrian spicy N’Duja sausages, Gorgonzola DOP cheese and mozzarella.

Never before has simple bread and olive oil been so sumptuous. The challenge now was to leave enough space for the courses to come.

Moving on to our antipasti, I opted for gamberoni all’aglio – king prawns, garlic, basil, a touch of chilli, butter, bisque, crostino bread. The dish had just the right combination of warmth and tasted as fresh as if it had just been plucked from the sea and land. To accompany this, I sipped from a refreshing glass of Vermentino Maremma IGT Rocca di Montemassi 2023, composed of 100% Vermentino grape, a most satisfying accompaniment.

Andrea went with a welcoming bowl of funghi in fricassea – a sauteed mix of mushrooms with shallots, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and parsley, finished off with egg and lemon juice, served with crostino. It was, she said, the tastiest mushroom dish she had ever tasted.

No Italian meal is complete without a pasta dish, and our Primi Piatti course saw us sample not one but three delicious dishes of delight.

Maurizio produces his own hand-crafted pasta daily.

Our terrific trio were Tortelloni d’agnello con fonduta di pecorino – tortelloni filled with lamb from Chew Farm in Padiham, Pecorino D.O.P. cheese fondue; Ravioli di mare con pomodorini – ravioli filled with seasonal fish, lobster bisque, baby plum tomatoes, samphire, and a touch of garlic and chilli; Tortelloni al Gorgonzola – beetroot pasta tortelloni filled with Gorgonzola DOP and acacia honey from the Dolomites served, with Laudato extra virgin olive oil Gabrielloni-Marche, fresh thyme and walnuts.

Another wine came to accompany this course – a Marghe Langhe Nebbiolo DOC Damilano 2021, made from 100% Nebbiolo grape.

And now, after all this, stomachs very nearly full, we were ready for our Secondi Piatti, our main course as we say in Lancashire.

The choices were varied but I felt a lighter dish of fish would be most welcome, and luckily for me, sea bass was available. Branzino con misticanza – wild sea bass fillet, pan seared with crispy skin, came served with traditional salad from Sicily made with fresh oranges, fennel, chicory, Laudato extra virgin olive oil Gabrielloni-Marche and black pepper.

White wine, naturally, was needed and a perfect one was chosen. A glass of Falanghina Irpinia DOC Terredora Dipaolo 2022 provided the perfect accompaniment.

Andrea, meanwhile went for a more carnivorous option. Guancia di manzo al vino rosso con pure’ al tartufo –15 hours of slow-cooked beef cheek from Chew Farm in Padiham, Dolcetto Superiore DOCG red wine reduction, black truffle paste and mashed potato. This, on its own, would have been a wonderfully satisfying and warming offering, and nearly sent Andrea into a deep sleep.

But, sleep had to wait, as there was yet more to come. Dolci, the Italian passion for dessert, awaited.

For me, Sfogliatina Napoletana – a traditional dessert from Naples. Composed of light milfoil pastry filled with sweet sheep ricotta, it was served with the unique and famous Fabbri sour cherries and chocolate ice cream – bellissimo!

Andrea opted for Coppa all’Amaretto, a sumptuous cup of vanilla ice cream layered with crunchy amaretti biscuits and amaretto liqueur

Finshed by food, there had to be space for one final little drink – an ammazzacaffe or ‘coffee killer’, a small glass of liqueur usually consumed after the coffee to dull its taste. This is a common Italian custom, especially after a generous tasty meal.

I went with a very unusual Olia del Garda, an infusion of black olives in grappa from an ancient recipe invented on the shores of Lake Garda, the original home of Cinzia.

We were lucky beyond words to have been treated to such a feast. A sample of this would be enough for most people to leave feeling satisfied.

If you have the chance, please head to this corner of Italy in the Ribble Valley. Saluti!