A Softly Reopened Luca Lounge Seeks Gas-less Inspiration for Its Food Menu

Without gas, cooking can be a shocking affair.

You may not have noticed it, but beloved East Village hangout Luca Lounge reopened earlier this year. The place has lost both its garden and its gas line, but owner Vito DiTomaso is optimistic. He hopes to attract some of his old regulars with the spacious, comfy back room and a new menu... the only problem now is how to cook it.

"We're investigating a new oven... cooking on it, seeing how it holds up," says DiTomaso. "It's electric. Before, we worked with gas. It's hard to get the right consistency -- especially for pizza -- with electric, but a lot of restaurants don't have gas and are cooking amazing things without it."

DiTomaso is planning for a proper reopening early next year, complete with a menu of square pizzas (somehow square is easier with electric), charcuterie, sandwiches, salads, a gourmet cheese platter. The wine list is also getting a facelift, expanding from all Italian to include French, South African, and South American options.