La Porta Via - Lima

Well there is now no need to head to Philly for Paesano's. This place has all your favorites, and everything has been executed perfectly. From the Italian to the specials to the Torrezeaux (spicy chicken cheesesteak). All kinds of take away items as well.

If you enjoy La Porta the restaurant, you will love La Porta Via. I have been waiting for this take out spot to be open for months but was told they kept running into snags. Finally, a NOW OPEN flag was placed atop the sign so my lady and I pulled in to find it. Tucked in the back behind the office building you will find this deceptively small looking building that is actually very spaceous inside. On the shelves you'll find a number of italian specialty items: dried pastas, desserts, chips etc. In the cases you will find prepared foods, salads and sauces. The day we went in there was a refridgerator problem with the glass case and all the food items were stacked on top of each other in a case that worked. We grabbed some cooked stuffed shells and some tomato sauce to reheat for dinner the next evening. The sauce was tasty and fresh but sweeter than I like (tasted like sugar was used which I will never understand as the tomatoes are sufficient. The shells were spectacular absolutely delicious. Their website with a full menu is under construction and will be here soon. This is a welcome addition to us folks out here. Closer than Carlinos in West Chester yet more limited compared to the offerings you can get at Carlinos, La Porta Via does offer a solid number of items I intend to try.

During my recent outdoor dining experience on 9/11/20, there was a duo called Almost June playing outside, providing great mellow tunes with smooth voices. I particularly enjoyed the beet salad with fresh mozzarella and the torta sandwich, which was a large and tasty crab cake served burger-style with lettuce, tomato, garlic mayo, and delicious fresh-cut fries. The lemoncello chicken served with fingerling potatoes and haricot vert was also delicious. However, my dining partner complained about the waitress not wearing a mask properly, and found the chicken to be dry. I did not personally have the same experience with the chicken, but noted the quick delivery of the food may have been due to pre-cooking. Despite the issues raised, I hope to return to La Porta Via and give it a 5-star rating in the future. You may want to consider inviting Almost June back and featuring more mellow music for a pleasant dining experience.

This used to be my go-to restaurant, but after finding a push pin in my mushroom soup, I can't bring myself to go back. They comped the meal, but the experience has made me wary and paranoid about the food, constantly inspecting it for any foreign objects. It's a shame because I used to love this place.

I recently tried this restaurant for the first time and I was impressed by everything from the pizza to the appetizers, desserts, staff, and ambiance. It definitely won't be my last visit.