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It's always exciting to hit upon a restaurant that is
relatively unknown and not frequented by the dining snobs. Oh,
you know what I mean. How often is it that the trendy "in"
places everyone is talking about aren't all that deserving of
their reputation considering the high prices they usually
command. We have discovered - thanks to a co-worker of my
sister-in-law's, a small Italian restaurant in a middle-class
Waterbury neighborhood that serves meals that-are upscale and
moderately priced.
At D'Amelio's on Highland Avenue, the two veal dishes at
$12.95. But inexpensive isn't what makes this restaurant
special. I could say it's the Italian music floating
throughout the restaurant and the distinct vocals of Louis
Prima...
Buona sera senorina, buona sera
It's time to say goodnight to Napoli...
I could say it's the relaxed atmosphere of a restaurant that
is a deli until 5 p.m. and that dining in the ground floor
level finds one in a booth in view of the soft drink cooler
and display cases filled with cold cuts and cheeses.
Sandwiches, grinders and salads are the hot items at lunch and
take out necessities - plastic cutlery, napkins, etc. are by
the cash register. Five tables with umbrellas fill the patio
in front of the restaurant where the music is audible to both
diners and neighborhood foot traffic.
The surroundings evoke that comfortable old world
unpretentiousness captured without a decorator's touch. And
although we settle easily into the mood as if we were in an
Italian grandmother's kitchen, if the food served here is
mediocre then what would be the point? Our server asks us when
we'll be back again. Yes we most definitely will.
A half loaf of Italian bread, its crisp crust studded with
sesame seeds, arrives at the table before we order. The cup of
fresh ricotta cheese and olive oil is pleasant surprise and is
eagerly spread across warm slices that have already been cut
for convenience. There is butter for my husband, whose
French-Canadian roots don't quite acquaint ricotta as bread
spread. His sister is more adventurous. The basket is
re-filled when one slice remains. We like that attention to
detail, too often overlooked in many places. We like it too
that we get individual glasses of ice water with lemon slices
and filled carafe left at the table. Diners may bring in their
own wine and beer.
Four good sized wooden booths, large enough for six, occupy
the street level room and a few steps up to the second level
is a long and narrow area with 8 or 9 tables.
D'Amelio's menu features a dozen pasta dishes with various
sauces, a half dozen each of veal and chicken dishes and
evening specials. We begin with the fried calamari appetizer
and it is the only disappointment of the evening. The rings
and tendrils are very flavorful and while the tendrils are
crispy, some of the rings are too chewy for our taste. A warm
chunky marinara sauce is served alongside the portion easily
satisfied three. Lobster ravioli is filled with pieces of
lobster meat and nicely complemented by a delicate pink
champagne sauce. The lemon, butter, and white wine sauce for
the shrimp and scallop scampi is punctuated with capers and
the garlic unobtrusive. Adding flavor is an abundance of both
large shrimp and medium sized shrimp and loads of tender sweet
scallops. We choose to have the sauce over linguine and the
serving is more than adequate without being overwhelming.
The cheese filled ravioli brings us a dozen large pillows
stuffed with a good creamy ricotta cheese and topped with a
layer of melted mozzarella. The sauce is a lightly seasoned
chunky marinara.
We talk the veal fancier in our party out of her usual
parmigiana and into saltimbocca. Her lightly buttered and
sauteed cutlet is fork tender and layered with a lean
prosciutto and melted mozzarella and garnished with grilled
portobello strips. A wonderful brown sauce over the cutlet
spills onto the plate and is a flavorful moat for dredging the
forkfuls of veal and salty ham. Chicken Alanna is a whole,
skinless boneless breast, topped with lots of fresh sauteed
spinach and is wonderfully moist with the addition of a
zinfandel sauce. The spinach is not chopped but rather whole
leaves with tender stems and topped with melted mozzarella.
The dish is quite impressive, crowned as it is with two whole
split red roasted peppers. Choice of pasta with marinara sauce
is included with all meat entrees. All entrees come with the
choice of tossed or spinach salad. The spinach salad is quite
nice, the flavor of the greens enhanced by a warm vinaigarette
and pieces of chopped fresh bacon, sliced Bermuda onions and
grilled mushrooms. Italian desserts, such as tartufo and
tirimisu are mouth wateringly pictured along with cappuccino
cake, bitter chocolate mousse and lots more in a special
dessert menu. We notice too that the deli case holds few more
tantilizing sweets and assorted Italian cookies. Ah, maybe
next time.
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