Anyone in SOMA can tell you that Arturo’s was an institution. People would line up and wait around for hours, squeezing on to the small bench outside its Maplewoood Avenue façade, to snag a table in the spare, dark restaurant so they could sample fresh pasta and legendary pizza. When Arturo’s decided to leave Maplewood Village for greener pastures away from all the foot traffic of the bustling downtown, the community all thought one thing: What could possibly exist in this hallowed space?

Word got out that the innovative Italian cuisine chef of Laboratorio Kitchen in Montclair was considering opening up shop where Arturo’s had been. All of us waited with baited breath while renovations got underway – these things always take longer than they say they will, don’t they? – and then lunged at the chance for a table when Osteria LK opened up just about a month ago.

Early social reviews had good things to say. Get the meatball, you won’t be disappointed, they said. The chicken parm uses vodka sauce (!), they gushed. And whatever you do, don’t leave without trying the chocolate mousse, they warned. One foodie social account, most likely the one I despise and hate-follow, commented that it’s a “family style” situation, like Carmine’s of Manhattan fame. (This one is false, by the way.)

With all this gusto in my feed, I knew I had to try it out, like literally everyone in our two small towns was apparently doing. So MDP and I decided to try for a table one Saturday night when we had a babysitter. Even before we opened the entryway door, we could hear the noise of boisterous diners, talking over each other in the tables, now in much closer confines than Arturo’s ever was. Not to be deterred, I entered and inquired about a table for two, just to be told the wait was at least an hour. “We’ll go somewhere else,” I said, and solemnly closed the door behind me, skipping across the street to Coda for a reliable meal. “This place is too scene-y,” I griped.

And yet the yearning persisted. So today, a quiet one at work, I popped over to Osteria LK for lunch. Talk about vibe shift. “Sit anywhere you like,” a welcoming man beckoned to me as I walked through the door. I chose an outdoor table – for four, no less! – and was promptly brought a menu with a simple but eye-catching colorway printed on premium paper stock.

Moments later, a server asked about my water preference, and instantly another waitstaff suddenly appeared out of nowhere with a tap water pitcher to pour me a glass. My server recited the specials for the day – including fire-roasted Brussels sprouts and a pepperoni pizza – as I settled into taking in the menu.

From what I can tell, the lunch menu varies only slightly from the dinner fare. Like Arturo’s, Osteria LK offers a few select sandwiches – on what appears to be choice bread, I observed – during lunch, while the dinner menu has additional main entrée options. Whenever you go, you’ll have many pasta dishes to choose from, likely with a special or two as enhancements to the standard menu.

I decided to take it on the chin and order a three-course lunch, so I could tell you all about it. Thank me later!

For a starter, I ordered the prosciutto di parma, which was accompanied by burrata, arugula, and “crostini” that appeared to be something like ciabatta bread. A waitstaff rushed over to me to offer fresh black pepper, which was a nice touch, both for the experience and the dish. The burrata was ever-so-creamy, nearly melting once pierced, and a light drizzle of hot honey – the condiment du jour it appears – dripped off its sides. The combination of the velvety texture of the burrata paired with the slight heat of the gooey honey was an ethereal experience in itself. The prosciutto was so thinly sliced it was nearly invisible, yet flavorful and salty, as it should be. The sparse arugula was lightly doused with a touch of olive oil, which was just enough for a unique flavor profile when all parts of the dish were sampled at once.

I would say the dish was appropriate for two people, and that’s if you’re ordering a second appetizer to go around. I nearly cleaned the plate myself, leaving only a quarter of the burrata and a sad shred of prosciutto (plus the bread) behind. A kind and perhaps subversive waitstaff asked If I’d like to take the remains home. I may have laughed.

I opted for the grilled chicken salmoriglio (which I may have pronounced correctly) as my main dish. The menu makes it sound pretty underwhelming. Basically, it’s described as a chicken breast with sauteed broccoli rabe, cherry tomatoes, and roasted garlic. Reader, this simple chicken dish exceeded my wildest dreams. The pounded-thin chicken breast was smothered with black pepper, parsley and something that appeared to be a garlic paste. It was cooked perfectly as to be exquisitely tender. I was impressed by the care taken with the broccoli rabe, which was chopped into small pieces and nearly al dente in texture. I eagerly consumed the combination of olive oil, sauteed cherry tomatoes, and garlic with each bite of it. Something I absolutely love about Osteria LK is their unabashed use of salt and spices, at a time when so many restaurants go light on these essential flavor-boosting ingredients. For the record, the serving size was sufficient for one person. It was not family style.

Okay, so by the time I got through the chicken main, I knew I had to try dessert, whose menu is recited by the server, not delivered via paper (or a dreaded QR code). He rattled off several, including a cannoli – likely outstanding – but the mousse, called “chocolate spumi,” was my choice. A sizeable helping of mousse was served in the center of a large dish, with raspberries and raspberry sauce dotting its circumference. Tousles of crushed pistachio covered its exterior. Even before taking a bite, it was a feast for my eyes. But the taste – there’s no other word than “divine” to describe it. The mousse is thick – thicker than I’ve ever had – and made with a darker chocolate for certain. The pistachio crumbles give the flavor profile a less sugary edge than your tier 2 mousse, almost leaving you guessing, and of course, wanting more. I’m not a huge fan of sweets so I had a few bites and begged a waitstaff to let me take the rest home. Both MDP and my little lady give it very high marks as well.

I happened to speak with the hostess for a while about what an outstanding experience I was having, and she mentioned that, while they do not take reservations for parties smaller than six patrons, the waitlist often moves quickly on weekend nights. Don’t sleep on the lunch option though. I was in and out of there in less than 45 minutes!

For an elevated experience (think Lorena’s dining room, but classier) with food that will leave a lasting impression, run, don’t walk, to Osteria LK. It is well worth the hype.