My boyfriend and I were planning on having a date night, and we'd decided a week before to go to Guiseppe's, as we'd seen it but never been. When we went, the restaurant was just opening and we were the only customers, so I can't comment on the speed at which one is usually seated. We obviously had no problem with it. Service was also very attentive.
The bruschetta, our appetizer, was the absolute best I've ever had. Nothing has come close. My boyfriend, who intensely dislikes tomatoes and olives, enjoyed the appetizer (which is largely tomatoes and olives). The house dressing was not to my taste--a little too subtle--but it accomplished exactly what it needed to.
He ordered Chicken Parmigiana, and it was exactly as it should have been. Unlike many places, they didn't serve a hunk of chicken breast breaded and deep fried; it was properly tenderized and thin. It came with penne and alfredo pasta, which was a nice change from the marinara.
I ordered something I'd never even heard of: Melanzane del Umbria, which was breaded eggplant in a white wine lemon sauce. I am not lying when I say that it is very possibly the best thing I've ever tasted. I'm always iffy about eggplant, as many places leave the skin on, making the plate a mess when you try and cut the slice, only to mush the vegetable and its breading into an undignified glob., but there was no reason to fear from this dish. It was served with pesto penne, and the pesto was the freshest I've ever had.
Dessert was tiramisu. People have very different preferences when it comes to this dessert, but I like it heavy on the mascarpone and light on the espresso. Unfortunately, this dessert was light on both, substituting pound cake for ladyfingers and whipped cream for a layer of mascarpone. There was a hint of cinnamon that was nice, however. Even with a less than perfect dessert, the meal as a whole gets an A+.
The atmosphere is everything that a comfortable, yet romantic, restaurant should have. Being situated in an old house as it is, Guiseppe's is cozy, but it's kept up so well that it's not at all rickety. The price was cheaper than the big chains like Carino's or Olive Garden, and the food was much better. I will definitely be a return customer.
Pros: Best meal in living memory.
Cons: None that I can see.
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