I'm not sure what the previous review was referring to, but I was astounded at the service, quality of food, and just plain liveliness of such a small restaurant when I went here. There are no menus, just the day's specials on giant chalkboards on the wall. Probably 9-10 tables in a small strip-mall space decorated with white and black checker tiling, this place has done a great job with a difficult location. The first thing I notice when I walk in is that EVERY table had a bottle of wine, despite the fact that this place is BYOB only. Then, looking around at the other patrons, I realized these people all dined here at least once or twice a month and seemed to be very loyal regulars. With the sheer variety of dishes offered here, it's no wonder that you can keep coming back for something new. Another great part of the ambiance was the open, conversational atmosphere; every table seemed to be talking to every other table! Try looking around this place and finding anything but big grins of contentment, you won't see much else. And the most important part: the FOOD. My first question (to the owner, who also happened to serve our table that night) was ""what do you recommend?"" He went through four dishes with us, two of which the other people I ate with ordered and LOVED: the roast chicken and green chili penne, and the classic spaghetti bolognese. I was kind of surprised that I went to an italian restaurant that so highly recommended something so seemingly plain in character... until I tried it. Spicy and delicious, someone here can cook pasta to the peak of perfection. And finally, my dish, the carbonara. This dish will make you fall in love with Italian food all over again, it is the essence of a rich and savory Italian meal. Anyone trying to get a bite ran the risk of a swift fork to the hand, this creamy goodness is too good to share. For $12-15 a plate, you get pasta that should cost $45 a plate. Eat here.
Pros: Food, Variety, Service, Value, Parking
Cons: Small space, BYOB, descriptions of the menu items are through the server's explanation (though they know their stuff!)
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