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| Pizza! |
A bottle of rose instead.
When you want a table on the street, where is your Italian restaurant?
Pasta and pizza are my weeknight basics. I don't claim to cook special Italian, but I can turn almost any pantry into spaghetti sauce. Those nights make us look to other cuisines when we head out to a restaurant.
The Hoco360 blog just highlighted the three Trattoria restaurants -- Waverly, King's Contrivance, and Dorsey's Search. Strobist pushes the pizzas and the ravioli aurora. The King's Contrivance restaurant has served up some nice pizza for us, especially paired with a Rita's Italian ice.
(Update: As noted below, my original text omitted Portalli's in Ellicott City and Aida Bistro & Wine Bar in Columbia. Both kitchens have the ambition to be one of the best around, and they're upscale menus -- often with local produce -- that get raves. I have to admit that we don't eat at that price point often. I think I omitted them because I started with Hoco360's post about casual Italian and got focused there. I'd love recommendations about what to order on a special night.)
Other Italian gets reader raves -- Pasta Plus in Laurel, Tino's Italian in Columbia, the Pasta Blitz on Rte 108. Other Pasta Blitz's have turned into Anthony's in Clarksville and Vittorio in Glenwood. Truly, Facci on Johns Hopkins Road is our local. We tend to split a pizza with either a salad or a pasta. They make several pastas in house, including ravioli and gnocchi. When I like blistered pizzas like the mushroom or even the clam pie, it's tough to drive past to try somewhere else.
So what do you recommend? I do want to try that ravioli aurora, and people should hear about the good Italian even if I haven't tried it. I need suggestions about what to order at the other places -- favorite dishes, anything off the menu.
OK, you've missed the obvious - Aida Bistro. No pizza, but they do occasionally have flatbreads. Pasta is homemade by Mama Aida herself! I always get the rock shrimp appetizer, highly addictive...Plus, a good selection of wines on tap.
ReplyDeletePerhaps most importantly of all - outdoor seating with a view of the parking lot! It's Howard County, you must have a view of the parking lot.
We really like Portalli's in historic EC. They have great gnocchi, pastas, and desserts.
ReplyDeleteAt Pasta Plus try the garlic sausage with pasta. The fettuccine Alfredo at Pasta Plus (more garlicky) and Tino's (less garlicky) is a favorite of my wife and kids.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like damning with faint praise, which is not my intent - everything is good there, but the dipping sauce that goes with the complimentary bread basket at Tino's is a standout.
The Italian Sub is good at Dorsey Search Trattoria - they add the right amount of dressing to increase the flavor without making it goopy.
Not HoCO, but very close- Burtonsville
ReplyDeletePepino's Kitchen
15721 Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866
(301) 384-1655
For a special night out, go to Cinghiale in Baltimore. It's Italian like you have not had before and everything is outstanding. It's one of Cindy Wolf's restaurants.
ReplyDeleteWe've had many pleasant meals at Stella Notte, next to Lotte Plaza on route 40. They make a great white pizza bianco that's not on the menu. If you sit in their garden room, with the fake trees, you can pretend you are outside and still see your car.
ReplyDeleteTino's has become my favorite. I highly recommend the meatball pizza or the chicken parmigiana, and my fiance' raves about their baked ravioli.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe no one has talked about Johnny's Bistro on Main St. in downtown Ellicott City. He makes his pizzas from scratch using and the crust is just wonderful. The service is friendly, soups are also made daily from scratch and the chef's salad is great. I always get the soup of the day (it's always amazing) and the Greek pizza.
ReplyDeleteOkay, it's in PG not Howard, but Salute on Main Street in Laurel is fantastic. It's BYO, so pick up a nice bottle of wine to bring along, but the food is top notch. They also handle big groups really well.
ReplyDeleteWe also like Tinos. We usually get their veggie pizza and get them to add pepperoni. It's one of my favorites, but don't forget to try the meatballs. Yummy!!!
ReplyDeleteI am at the Trattoria in Dorsey's Search constantly. Love that place, very kid-friendly.
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for a special night dish, if Aida Bistro has their braised short ribs, throw away your calorie counter and indulge!!! Melt in your mouth tender and so delicious.
ReplyDeleteI second Salute Ristorante on Main Street in Laurel we've eaten there several times and their carbonara can't be beat!I also love the sausage and polenta appetizer.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any recommendations but I have a question.....where did that pizza in the post photo come from? That looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteTino's is the best for me and my family. Every week we order a different kind of pizza.
ReplyDeleteI must advise against the housemade gnocchi at Facci's. It's too dense for my liking; in my opinion gnocchi should be light and fluffy like soft pillows.
ReplyDeleteAida Bistro is one of my favorites but my "go to" on any day of the week is Facci. Their Papparadelle Bolognese is TO DIE FOR.
ReplyDeleteAida Bistro is one of my favorites but my "go to" on any day of the week is Facci. Their Papparadelle Bolognese is TO DIE FOR.
ReplyDeleteStill love Aida, but nothing comes close to homemade matinara.
ReplyDeleteI've gone to Aida based on the positive reviews I always hear, and I did not like one bit. Granted, I'm Italian so I try to avoid eating out Italian(I always find something wrong, lol), but the food was overpriced, not fresh and the service was awful.
ReplyDeleteI've heard great things about Facci but we haven't been there yet.
Never understood the Aida hype.
ReplyDeleteAnother great find that was missed: Luna Bella in the Hickory Ridge Village Center! It's our immediate go-to when in the mood for Italian. It's won several Howard Magazine awards.
ReplyDeleteThe pizza at Trattoria King's Contrivance is the best. NY slices.
ReplyDeleteHubby and I are not fans of Salute. If you are in Laurel, then Pasta Plus is it. Salute has terrible service and meh food.
ReplyDeleteHad a Johnny's Bistro pizza last night. The crust was wonderful, although not quite the NY-style crust some are used to. Thanks for pointing this place out.
ReplyDeleteLooking for a place for a quick lunch on my way to Sun Nursuries, I found Tony's Pizzaria in the little shopping center in West Friendship. I've stopped there twice recently and had a great calzone. (Have not tried the pizza, but they apparently are doing a good business delivering it in the area.)
ReplyDeleteAt the upper end of the scale: Aida Bistro has been great for me. Eager to try Portalli's in EC.
Luna Bella is great, but I've been finding things are so salty. DH loves their linguini w/ white clam sauce. I love their gnocchi - baked with cheese - it's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLove Pasta Plus! Their chicken in white wine sauce is my absolute favorite and their pasta is SO fresh!
ReplyDeleteFor those who love the bread at Aida, Johnny's, and Luna Bella: Their bread comes from The Breadery in Oella/Catonsville. They started making hard crust breads recently and are doing a fair job. They have other offerings now, too. Scones can be excellent. Croissants are good for the area, but most importantly are made fresh every day, not frozen and reheated like Nora's Cafe. There is some variation day to day as croissants (and maybe the scones, too) are made by hand. I'm not a fan of their traditional "soft" bread, though. Anyway, got off-topic, but if you like the bread at those places, try a ciabatta roll or a baguette from The Breadery.
ReplyDeleteWe recently tried Stella Notte and had a very pleasant evening. I was surprised because I'd really never heard anything about the place and had no expectations. The service was absolutely charming, and the food was good, plus they had options for both us and our pickier child. We're always looking for non-chain options around that have options for the whole family.
ReplyDeleteLuna Bella is good but if I am looking for a great all around meal I go to Portalli's on Main St in Old Ellicott City.. I am always well taken care of there, the food is amazing and if you go on a Friday or Sat night after 8 there is half price wine and martini's!! Great place!!
ReplyDelete