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As man of steel Superman emerged from a phone booth after mild mannered reporter Clark Kent entered, so does Italian eatery Il Sugo emerge at 4pm on Monday through Friday after Main Street Deli is closed for the day. While fledgling Il Sugo, open only about 3 weeks, may not yet soar as expertly for service as it has potential to do with a little more practice, it is a delightful casual restaurant take off as piloted by the same very nice guy who owns Main Street Deli. If you’re looking for an unpretentious Italian menu focused on good fresh pastas (from local pasta maker Ferrante) and house made sauces (the sugo in Il Sugo), fresh salads, bread by top-notch local baker Gaston’s (with the owner’s recipe garlic butter spread), a warm “welcome everyone” vibe complete with lots of seating at table height and some high seats at the bar, Italian décor, Italian dining music on the sound system and very reasonable prices for both eats and libations (a short list of wine and beer in mid to lower market price points) then this is the place for you. And there really is no place quite like this in the Treasure Valley. Five star rating assumes service wobbles will be worked out for the friendly staff’s knowledge of the menu and service processes. Skills they’ll perfect with time as hearts are in the right place and the owner’s attention to train them will result in professional approach because he is so clearly focused on doing everything right to create a “Benvenuto Amici!” feeling in this downtown spot. All in all, pretty ‘perfetto’ start in accomplishing the mission of a welcoming, unpretentious, affordable and delicious place for dining and respite from the day. Wish it was in our neighborhood. At the reasonable prices here we could afford to go in for the good food and warm welcome often. IF I WERE QUEEN: There is a change or two I’d wave my scepter to make were I able. I appreciate since the charming owner came to talk with diners I could share my wish list with him. Given all was near perfect to start with, my list was a short one. *Maybe changing out the Italian sausage sauce from a white based with cream to a red one or adding another red sugo. (The preponderance of sauces here are white and I haven’t been livin’ with a Sicilian for 40 years for nuthin’. ) But I so appreciate that a diner can choose the kind of pasta they want to pair with their choice of sauce. Bravo! *Maybe adding a Ferrante ravioli (they make several) to the other wonderful fresh pastas already on the menu. Buono! *Maybe adding a couple more Italian wines to both red and white lists. But as a long time wineaux (I stole…umm…borrowed that from Yelp friend Amy E who corrected my spelling when I identified myself as wino) I sure appreciate the good stemware here. Not to mention that wine is offered in half liter carafes in addition to by glass and bottle. Salute! LOCATION: If you see the Charles Schwab building on the corner, Il Sugo is next door. Look for the Main Street sign in the window and Il Sugo sign board hanging overhead. OUTDOOR SEATING: Yep. On patio in front. ACCESSIBILITY: Short, gently sloped ramp up to the door, all on one floor inside, lots of standard table height seating inside and several tables seemed to have ample floor clearance for wheelchair users, didn’t check the loo. MUSIC: Louis Prima, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Steve Tyrell and all their friends! The very kind of music that makes you hungry for good Italian food. And set at the just right level to know it is there but not to compete with conversations. Ahhhh…some! PRICING EXAMPLE: One half-carafe of red wine + 1 glass of Cava + shared Caesar salad ($4 when ordered with pasta) + bread with garlic butter spread (complimentary) + 2 pasta entrees ($12 each) = just under $50 with tax before tip. Good value! FOR MORE HAPPY DINER REVIEWS LOOK BEHIND THE FILTER: Yelp has a protocol to filter some revie

Giuseppe’s Pastacaffe – Menu with Prices – 920 Pierremont Rd #110, Shreveport

This was some of the worst Italian food I have experienced in a long time. Firstly, when you first get the dishes you can immediately smell that they are using garlic from a jar, and this can also be found on their bread. The smell can be described as the garlic salt topping used over a dominoes pizza. Then when I first took a bite of my pasta I was then greeted by not only a sweet pasta sauce, but also the sauce tasted as if they haven’t washed their dishtowel in weeks. My friend ended up ordering the Alfredo and was greeted by a sticky bland sauce. Although, I can guarantee their pasta is made in house daily as it has a fresh taste.Overall, I would have to say that this place is a definite no go for all those who have a palate for Italian cuisine, and their fresh pasta can be easily replaced flavor wise by that of your local Whole Foods or World Market.

D’Agostino Pasta Company Menu with Prices 3458 Drusilla Ln B, Baton Rouge

My first encounter with the delicious food they sell here was a gift of sauces from a friend. I cooked the Pepato sauce for a small get together and it was spicylicious. Picked up some long pasta to go with it (everyone really enjoyed swirling it around the fork). All I did was boil water add salt, throw the pasta in a tall stock pot and heat up the sauce. Add a little fresh grated parm, toast a loaf of garlic bread and dinner was a hit. The long pasta really makes a great presentation and tastes great. The sauce was so tasty right from the jar so all I did was heat it up. Dinner was so easy I got to spend more time with my friend and less time cleaning up. I picked up the long pasta at pennington Red Stick Market but I did visit the shop last week. I noticed so many things in the shop I want to try. They have this large selection of tapenades I am adding to my Christmas wish list. I noticed a customer grabbing fresh mozzarella and Italian sausage while I was there. With all the great stuff they have to offer I know I will be back for a few gifts for my foodie friends. Let’s see….. who’s been naughty and who’s been nice this year?

Scopri Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 401 Locust St, Des Moines

This place was terrible. Went to try a new place. I got the filet and my girl got the pasta with butter garlic sauce. Hers was like eating alfalfa super over powered by fennel and no hint of butter or garlic. My filet waa the end price of the tenderloin rolled up to look like a nice cut of steak. It seemed they put some grill marks on it and let the heat lamp do the rest. The pasta wasnt hot temperature wise and just not good. If your looking for a good local Italian spot go to Tumea and Sons. Its always good! Im sorry I even tried a new spot sometimes its better to stick with what you know is good. Pretty sure the inly thing keeping this place alive is the hotel crowd that is only there for the night.

DiMarco’s Butcher Shoppe – Menu with Prices – 66-03 Myrtle Ave, Flushing

What a wonderful addition to the neighborhood All my Italian Favorites are here. Nice variety of Hot / Cold Prepared Foods done fresh daily on the premises takes the guesswork out of that infamous question “What’s for Dinner tonight honey or lunch tomorrow?” One of my favorite prepared Italian dishes is pasta with Cheese, Italian sausage & Broccoli Rabe in garlic oil. DiMarco’s does it perfectly and takes the fuss work out of trying to get this dish done right for me so if you like this do stop by and pick you up some. I see so many delicious foods here to try, check! Sweet Italian Sausages, wheels of fresh sausage stuffed with parsley and cheese seasoned to perfection, marinated Butter steaks, frozen stuffed Ravioli all of it makes for quick dinner prep, priced right for the family on a budget and delicious. If you want an authentic tasting sauce for your pasta they’ve got that too done fresh on the premises robust with a bit of chunkiness and a balanced sweet / savory flavor, Mama Mia! Both Marc and Josh are super friendly with great recommendations for what’s for dinner tonight. Now if I can just get them to stay open a wee bit later weeknights… Still they’re my new favorite Italian Butcher!

Riva Cucina Menu with Prices 800 Heinz Ave, Berkeley

I recently visited Belotti for lunch with a friend, and Donato & Co for dinner with a group, and so it was high time to revisit Riva Cucina, another of my favorite local Italian restaurants. I went for a Friday lunch with a long-time friend. It was a very enjoyable experience in many regards. Although street parking can be difficult, there are dedicated parking spaces for the restaurant in an adjoining business park, and multiple spots were available. It was a bit cool to sit outside, so we instead headed for the inside. Tables are well separated, making it easy to have a conversation without shouting. The lunch menu is diverse, with a host of appetizers, pasta dishes, and also some main courses available. There were numerous temptations. We ended up with dayboat scallops for our appetizer. They are beautifully cooked (poached in olive oil), and remind me of a dinner I had in Jesolo Lido in Italy every time I order them. Pappardelle with a smoky pancetta cream sauce and broccoli bits served as our main course. I brought along a celebratory bottle of CMZ, a wonderful wine made by Matt Cline at Three Wine Company, and was happy to pay the $18 corkage. Unless things have changed, corkage is free on Wednesday, and so this is a particularly good evening to come if you have some wines in your cellar that need to be consumed. We finished with a glass of grappa. It was a lovely long lunch. Service was excellent, attentive but not intrusive, and quite charming. Overall, for what we had, it seemed a good value. I have had lunches at Belotti that cost 50% more and were not any more satisfying. Riva Cucina stays on my short list of favorite Italian restaurants in the Berkeley-Oakland area. Enoteca Molinari is next in my cycle for a revisit. I can actually recommend all four of them with great enthusiasm. As mentioned, Wednesday nights are a great night to visit if you plan to bring your own wine.

Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano – Menu with Prices – 101 E Intendencia St, Pensacola

Review Time: Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano This is going to be a winded one, so foreclosure. I was extremely skeptical to coming to this restaurant after the mixed reviews I have seen, but I’m telling you right now don’t believe everything you read. Go out and make your own opinion and my review may not agree with your palate. This is by far one of the best meals I’ve had in a while with all of the reviews I’ve done. This superbly super fresh restaurant has knocked my socks off. I will pay a high end dollar to enjoy a good meal and for $140, including two bottles of wine, it was worth every penny. Of course, this beautifully constructed ambience is amazing in here. I love the small touches to make a restaurant stand out; and I was in love with the rosemary sprig in my napkin. The service was very exceptional, but my only complaint is going to be all servers who serve in a high end restaurant, like this, should know how to present and pour wine nor did we get a chiller. I’m not a big cone-sure of wine, but this restaurant had an amazing Italian import moscato d’asti. Which in turn had us ordering two bottles. Thank you to the owners for having an extensive wine list to even please my boring palate. The food: of course I had to try a little bit of everything. To start with we tried these risotto croquettes. I was extremely stand offish in the being, because I tried it plain without the sauce. But take a step back and try it with their decentantly fresh marinara; and it pulls in a whole level of deliciousness. The focaccia was perfectly baked and had a phenomenal freshness to it. So soft and slightly chewy with an amazing crust on the bottom; and paired with this amazingly fruity olive oil just made my heart skip a beat. We also tried the margarita pizza. You can see the oven in the back, just flaming, cooking these pizzas. This crust was phenomenal with freshness and crispy. The smell of the fresh basil and fresh mozzarella was amazing, but throw it on the palate with this fresh marinara and I was in heaven. Our entree: the rigatoni bolognese was almost perfect. The bolognese sauce was exceptional, but the rigatoni was over cooked. Also, the garlic bread knot was not up to par. It literally tasted like burnt garlic. Now my squid ink pasta with the shrimp pompadoro sauce was to die for. The perfectly cooked pasta with the sauce was so fresh and perfectly tasty. The dessert: we are going all in tonight after this fabulous meal. We got the limoncello cheesecake; and this was by far the most decadent light as air perfectly lemon flavored cheesecake I have ever had. I can honestly say we will be back to this restaurant. Now to some people this may be a bland place, but if you have top quality fresh ingredients things do no need to be over seasoned. Which is why I’m in absolute love with this restaurant. Thank you so much Angelena’s for becoming a new destination in Pensacola for me. Overall review 4.5/5 due to over cooked pasta and burnt garlic and service 4/5 to wine service.

Caffe Di Mauro – Menu with Prices – 1464 Washington Ave, Miami Beach

CAFFE DI MAURO 4 STARS One of the best pizza in South Florida! Pizza is not all they have on the menu, but it’s definitely worth trying, especially if you are looking for good and real Italian pizza. The Italian pizza is about the dough, which rests for a long time, and that way remains very light. Here in the US, I am full with a couple of slices of pizza. At Caffe’ Di Mauro, I eat the whole pie, without problems and I am not overly full afterward. Ingredients are fresh and abundant. Obviously Margherita is always the right call when trying a new pizza. But I also have to suggest the Prosciutto di Parma, a perfect Italian pizza, the Caffe’ di Mauro (Mozzarella, brie cheese, porcini and prosciutto) and the fresh mozzarella truffle among the white pizza. Whatever you choose, get out of your comfort zone, it is a waste to come here and try to get a pepperoni pizza or other typical American pizza. Try the Napoli for anchovies and black olive, sharp flavor but very well balanced. The rest of the menu seems to want to keep Americans comfortable. While it has to remarked that they make their own pasta here, the dishes are more typical of an Italo-American place than an Italian restaurant, so you have some of the US classics (although kicked up a notch or two because of the homemade pasta and the fresh ingredients). I personally go for pizza here, but don’t mind me, I am Italian and in West Palm Beach I have no way to eat a real Italian pizza. This place used to be a bar-café’ with sandwiches, panini and Italian TV. With years of work and success they have expanded, upgraded the place and it is now a nice looking pizzeria-ristorante, where, like I said, if you are looking for Italian pizza, you are in the right place. Service was always very good on several visits, very reasonable also the wine list. This place is one of my favorites in Miami and even more in Miami Beach. Add to that the fact the owner Mauro is also a fan of Inter Milan, like I am, and it’s perfect…

IL Paesano Italian Gourmet Food Cafe, Deli and Wine Market – Menu with Prices – 2645 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale

Words cannot simply describe how magical our dinner was for my mom’s 80th birthday at Il Paesano, last night. I first stumbled on this gem several months ago, and a girlfriend and I walked in (on a Saturday night) without a reservation. Virgil, the owner, kindly explained to me that due to the very small and highly personalized nature of the restaurant, there was at least a month long waiting list, making me even more determined to get my opportunity to try it out! Fast forward, we planned to bring my family here – a party of 8, for her very special birthday dinner. We were unsure what to even expect because there are no menus on the website – and no menus in the cafe. So, let me spell out what happens, so you can look forward to this 10 star experience, yourself. First – the colors and decor are so welcoming, you feel like you’re going to sit down to an EVENT, not a meal. The main room seats up to 20 people, and we had a table for 8 – very spread out but that was perfect, because there was lots of room to share our delectable appetizers! Paola (Virgil’s wife) was our server and educator, last night. We began our experience with a tour of the wine room – where we get to see every bottle and its price tag. (My husband is a wine snob, and he was in heaven). The wine is SO inexpensively priced, averaging $20-30 per bottle, and with 8 people, we had at least 8 bottles of wine! Then, Paola made up the most beautiful charcuterie board, some prosciutto and burrata, and a grilled octopus for everyone to share. Absolutely AMAZING appetizers, with fresh crusty bread and olive oil, and omg we were in heaven from the beginning. Moving on, she read us the menu – highlighting at least 10 entrees for us to choose from – and again – a simple WOW is all I can say. My husband had fresh ravioli with sage (that sage was delicate and crispy and melted in your mouth). I had a gnocchi type pasta with gorgonzola and pear and it was an amazing festival of flavors! My son had the short rib (the biggest I’ve ever seen), my dad and son in law had the seafood pasta, and everyone was just in love with their entrees. I asked Paola just for a couple of samplers for dessert – we were stuffed! She brought out 3 types of gelato, a pistachio cheesecake, an Italian pastry and a berry tart for my mom with a candle. She could not have been more welcoming and accommodating and friendly. My mom cried tears of joy for having her most precious family around her in such a beautiful atmosphere with such amazing food and wonderful staff. This could not have happened anywhere but here. We are so so grateful for Il Paesano and what they have created. And we will be back – many times over (with reservations, for sure!)

The Taj Of India Menu with Prices 502-7 Furys Ferry Rd, Augusta

Wanted to get some Indian food and this restaurant had a lot of really good reviews. That being said, I wasn’t disappointed. It doesn’t look that big on the outside but was fairly spacious when you get inside. Clean and tastefully decorated with good furnishings and settings. The staff were all very pleasant, courteous, and friendly. I went on a Saturday about an hour after they opened for dinner. Seating was open and service was very prompt while keeping up with a dozen or so other customers. I ordered Butter Chicken, Garlic Naan, a Coke, and a Chai Tea. For dessert, I had Gulab Jamun. The Butter Chicken was very smooth, had good seasoning, and wasn’t acidic at all. The Garlic Naan was nice and crispy on the bottom without being burnt, while still being soft and fluffy on top. The garlic was evenly spread and wasn’t overpowering. The Chai Tea had a really good flavor. The Galub Jamun was fresh and soft with the right amount of sweetness. Altogether a very nice place to eat for dinner!

Bufarella La Pizza Di Napoli – Menu with Prices – 5975 N Federal Hwy #103, Fort Lauderdale

Bufarella offers authentic neopolitan style pizza that rivals some of the great pizza I’ve had. The crust has that crispy / chewy/ tender thing going on that seems to elude most restaurants outside of Italy. I’m extremely loyal to another authentic Italian restaurant farther south in Fort Lauderdale called Osteria Acqua & Farina which also delivers a similar quality, but Acqua & Farina’s pizza is a bit thinner and if the test is how close is this to pizza in Naples, I think Bufarella wins. Acqua & Farina has a broader selection and a little more elegant atmosphere – both will be on my short list and fans of either restaurant should check out the other if in the mood for a change or at the other end of town. At Bufarella, we had the signature Bufarella pizza – fresh mozzarella, simple crushed tomato sauce, basil and a drizzle of olive oil. It was probably about 12-14″ and alone would not be quite enough food for two people. We paired it with an order of Cacio e Pepe, which is always a good test of a restaurant that claims to be authentic Italian. The pasta didn’t disappoint and was prepared in the traditional way with bucatini pasta, which held the sauce really nicely and made it very slurpable. Splitting the pizza and the pasta for 2 people left us satisfied, but not stuffed – for me that’s a plus so I’d label the portions as perfect. Some would consider them small, especially if you compare them to American Italian restaurant. Service was attentive and friendly. Decor is nice. It did feel a bit sterile, possibly because we were the only two customers in the place at 7pm. I hope that was a fluke because this place really deserves to be full. We paid about $18 for the pizza and $18 for the pasta. While certainly not cheap, I felt the prices reflect the quality and service and are in line with the other place I mentioned and other coal oven pizza places like Anthony’s; however, portions are slightly smaller. Didn’t check out the wine or deserts but will try to save room for next time.

A Touch of Italy – Menu with Prices – 7890 Summerlin Lakes Dr # 101, Fort Myers

OMG! after relocating from the north, it was very difficult finding a good Italian deli/market and restaurant. Well, A Touch of Italy is all this in one!! They make their own pasta, which I can attest the ravioli and their sauce is delicious. The sauce is not a heavy nor spicy sauce, just right and I found a couple of nice pieces of garlic in there as well. The sausage is home made, I bought some hot sausage and was not disappointed. They make all their own foods. Back home, we had an Italian bakery that made a rum cake that was out of this world. A Touch of Italy’s brought those memories back. Nice rum flavor, creamy pudding and a little soggy on the bottom!! I can’t say enough about this place.They even have a small restaurant that you can eat there. They have a great deli, and fresh meat, cheeses, frozen pasta, dough, and the list goes on and on. I have found my new happy place!!

Cafe Prima Pasta – Menu with Prices – 414 71st St, Miami Beach

Blown away! Did not think I would find such amazing pasta dishes in Miami! My husband and I were visiting for the weekend and this came up in our search with really great reviews, now we understand why! Los Guidry’s Thoughts and Recommendations: – Seating options were good. We arrived a little late on a Sunday (8:30) with no reservations and we were still seated inside pretty quickly. We each grab a glass of wine at the bar and waited 15 minutes? There was plenty of seating outdoors too but we preferred a table indoors. – Food was PHENOMENAL! As the appetizer we ordered the calamari. We order calamari almost everywhere but this is probably some of the best we’ve ever had. The calamari was not chewy, tasted fresh and wasn’t greasy. The marinara sauce it was paired with was all the flavors this app needed. – Pasta pasta pasta! I mean, where do I start? My husband ordered the pasta of the day which was a red sauce based- seafood medley spaghetti with lobster tail, mussels, and shrimp and I ordered the Crab Raviolotti which is crab stuffed ravioli swimming in lobster sauce and oh my goodness. We were in ITALIAN HEAVEN! If you thought there was no such thing- EH you’re wrong, it’s at Cafe Prima Pasta. – Service was perfection. The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive the entire night. From the moment we walked over to the table, the service was absolute perfection. If you can’t tell by now, I freaking love this place. No doubt, my husband and I will be back next time we’re in Miami. Hope this review helps!