If you are looking for traditional Italian food in a quaint and unique setting then this place is definitely for you. While Monastero’s seems to be making most of its money through the use of their... More

If you are looking for traditional Italian food in a quaint and unique setting then this place is definitely for you. While Monastero’s seems to be making most of its money through the use of their banquet hall the restaurant is also worth a visit. Small, with personal service and great food this is a great Italian restaurant that’s just a little different. The atmosphere of Monastero’s can best be summed up in one word and that word would be small. While the building stretches an entire block the restaurant itself is a small affair. The tables are dressed with whit table cloths. This is the kind of Italian restaurant you would expect to see on a show like “The Sopranos.” It’s a neighborhood place and you can tell that many of the people here are regulars. You will not be rushed. You will receive personal service and they will be very accommodating to you. The crowd at Monastero’s is usually older. They are couples and family’s in the restaurant. Because the restaurant shares a building with the banquet halls you can expect there to be a lot of wedding parties of all shapes and sizes. They keep the banquet halls separate from the restaurant, however, so mostly those crowds will come into play for you when you are trying to find a place to park. There is a piano player that plays during the dinner hours. His playing is so good that it actually sounds like a music track played over a loudspeaker. The problem comes when they include a singer singing Italian songs. While his voice is excellent he is singing as though he were in and opera hall. The smallness of the room meant that when the singer was belting out his tune as though he were singing to the people in the back row it was nearly impossible to carry on a conversation. Monastero’s has a relatively small drink menu. I had a Chardonnay to go with the fish I was eating and it was acceptable. There is a small selection of martini’s but when a companion of mine asked for a martini that was not on the menu the bartender sent the waitress back to ask her to pick something specifically from the menu. They have a decent selection of wines and spirits, but nothing fancy. As I sit here and write this I cannot think of one drink that was spectacular or that stood out and totally unique to this restaurant. They have a very small bar located right inside the restaurant but I wouldn’t try ordering anything too fancy. The food is excellent. I had a grilled salmon fillet with green beans and a baked potato. The salmon was cooked thoroughly and not over done or over-spiced. The potato was also cooked nicely which is always a risky proposition when you order a baked potato at a restaurant. They menu is filled with a wide variety of food and much of it is more traditional Italian. Roasted Veal Rack Vesuvio with is a veal rack marinated with Italian herbs, and then cooked with garlic, rosemary white wind and vesuvio potatoes is more along the lines of what I am talking about when I talk about Italian dishes. This is an Italian restaurant that does not just serve some spaghetti with meat sauce and declare itself Italian. This is more along the lines of fine dining. One of my companies had Pumpking Ravioli al Gorgonzola. This is homemade pumpkin ravioli with walnuts mixed with a gorgonzola sauce. She gave it high praise and dug in with relish. If meat is more along the lines of your taste then you are in luck. Monastero’s also offers veal dishes of all kinds, pork tenderloin, filet mignon and even barbecued baby back ribs. All of them served with plenty of sides to choose from and in excellent portions guaranteed to fill you up. Their garden salad is a little less impressive than the main entrée, however. They also have an excellent selection of Italian dessert. Tiramisu is present as accounted for. Various cakes are present including a cannoli cake. There is, of course, a traditional cannoli available as well. The prices at Monastero’s are very reasonable. Quality dining in a quality room without breaking the bank can’t be beat. The salmon dish I ordered is $16.95. The filet mignon will run you $21.50. Compared to other places these prices are very reasonable. For the quality of the food and service the prices are outstanding. I have been to much fancier places and spent much more for a filet and come away wishing I had gone somewhere else. Such was not the case with Monastero’s. Monastero’s is unique because it is obvious that they care. It is like walking into a little bit of Italy right within the heart of the city. The small size of the dining area creates an intimate setting. The only problem I had with it was the singer belting out songs at a deafening pitch. Still, when there is no singer the atmosphere is perfect for the setting. The food is reasonably priced and, all in all, you will have a great meal experience here.
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