La Tosca now has a second location, this one north in a Lakewood Ranch shopping center.

Black tablecloths make the dining room cozy. Murals in niches evoke Italian vistas. The black ceiling over the bar twinkles with fiber-optic imitation stars. Behind the bar is a wood-burning brick pizza oven.

The fare is heavily weighted toward artfully executed comfort food. Gnocchi, Chicken scallopine, and fettucine with cream sauce are staples on the menu - unfussy food drawn from several regions of Italy. The chef describes the style as both rustic and contemporary.

The calamari and mozzarella e pomodoro are simple and good starters. LaTosca is also know for their agnello all’abbruzzese (a braised to lamb shank served atop a Parmesan risotto with peas and mushrooms) and for their baked cannelloni with four cheeses (Parmesan, Gorgonzola, fontina and Swiss).

For dessert, try the tiramisu is the genuine article, fragrant with espresso and marsala and creamy rich with mascarpone, or the chocolate soufflé (which is really a molten chocolate cake, but it's a good one).