N E W S
M A R C H 6
L E H A V R E
BUONA FORCHETTA:
Inside Le Havre’s New Café
Buona Forchetta (“good fork” in Italian), the new
café in the Le Havre Clubhouse, opened quietly this
past December—owner Luigi Forte wanted it that
way. Luigi takes great pride in the quality of his food
and didn’t want to overpromise and under-deliver. “I
want to get there gradually,” he said. “If we blow up
too fast, we will burn.”
Well, it doesn’t look like Luigi had anything to
worry about, because the little restaurant didn’t stay
quiet for long. Word-of-mouth spread quickly that
the food, which ranges from traditional breakfast and
lunch fare to Italian specialties for dinner, is terrific.
Although this is Luigi’s first foray into owning a
restaurant, he has plenty of experience in the industry.
He previously managed an Italian restaurant and
has been running the commissary for the New York
Times for the past five years.
He came to the U.S. seven years ago from his
hometown of L’Aguila, Italy, after a devastating 6.3
earthquake leveled the small town of 3,000 people.
“I love Italy,” Luigi said, which was apparent by all
of the photographs he keeps handy on his phone. Fun
fact: Luigi paid homage to his hometown with the
restaurant’s logo. If you look closely, you’ll see it’s
an eagle, which is what “aguila” means in Italian.
Luigi has a clear philosophy about the food he
serves. “I want to be consistent, always the same.
The food here is very fresh. I go to the market every
day.” He also understands that one size (or cuisine)
doesn’t necessarily fit all. “Everybody thinks differently
about food,” he said. “You try to put together
the recipes that you think are best.”
A lot of the credit to this early success goes to
Buona Forchetta’s chef, Marcello, who comes to the
restaurant with 30 years’ experience, most of which
has been in restaurants in Manhattan. Marcello lives
in Flushing, so the convenience of his new workplace
was especially appealing to him. He also likes the
pace. “Weekends are very busy, and we are busy with
deliveries too.” From a chef’s perspective, Marcello
has found that the Branzino is customer favorite, as
are the desserts, “especially the tiramisu,” he said.
Although the restaurant is in Le Havre’s private
clubhouse, it’s open to the public, and nearby resident
Pat Litrenta has already become a regular. “The
food is excellent, and they deliver too. Everything is
perfecto!” she said. In fact Pat’s review is echoed in
this month’s Dining Diva column by Helene Oelerich
(check it out on page 7).
Everyone knows that the food can be “perfecto,” but
if the service is poor, few customers will return. Luigi
is aided by his partner, Soumia, and servers Marguerita
and Crystal, all of whom started on day one.
Crystal comes from a background serving in high-end
establishments and knows how discerning people can
be. She commented that one customer has been coming
back to try everything on the menu. “Every time they
come, they go down the list of entrees.” She has also
been struck by the increase in business in a relatively
short time. “Holidays have even been busy,” she said.
Luigi is becoming involved in providing food for
Le Havre’s special occasions, such as December’s
6 LEHAVRE COURIER | MARCH 2018 | WWW.QNS.COM
Come on in!
Beechhurst resident Pat Litrenta enjoying a
great meal
Marguerita and Soumia welcome everyone! Owner Luigi and server Marguerita greet you!
Toys For Tots event and its annual New Year’s Eve
party. The restaurant has introduced pizza recently,
and Crystal reported that it’s a huge hit, “flying out
the window.” The pizza dough is made fresh on-site
every day, and “sometimes we’ve run out,” she said.
Looking forward to spring, Luigi said that when the
weather gets warmer, tables will be placed outside by the
pool for dining al fresco, and he’s continuing to evolve
the menu. It looks like there are lots of good things to
look forward to at Buono Forchetta. Buon appetito!
Chef Marcello creates the wonderful fare
Crystal serves with a smile!