Good.
God.
I'm stuffed.
Headed down the street tonight with MLWMG to our neighborhood Italian joint, Scalini's. Now I love this place, and it's been a couple of months since I've been here, so I went with my favorite order which is as unhealthy as you can positively get, but which I do only periodically so as not to die. Italian Meatloaf with a side of Fettucini Alfredo.
Giggity.
Giggity.
Giggity.
Yeah, it's incredible.
And yes, that fettucini is as unhealthy as it looks. Check that, moreso. It's absolutely the creamiest, richest fettucini alfredo that I've ever had, homemade at the restaurant, consistently creamy throughout, with I don't want to know how many sticks of butter, pints of cream, and pounds of cheese in it. Oh so good, and oh so deadly. Use it sparingly, friends.
The meatloaf is also great, a blend of the holy trinity of meats, aggressively seasoned with garlic, onion and salt. The tartness of the tomatoes (balanced by a perfect sweetness) and saltiness of the meat cuts through the creamy alfredo perfectly, making it a combo they should have on the menu....but don't. That said, when they ask you, "would you like vegetables or potatoes", just tell them this isn't your first rodeo, and order the fettucini.
Had to get to that first, sorry. Back to the atmosphere. This is the ultimate neighborhood Italian restaurant, frequented nearly exclusively by regulars and neighbors. In the middle of an in-line retail strip smack in the middle of Lakewood, it's not a big place at all, and offers two outdoor tables, five bar seats, and probably around 15 to 20 tables. Always a wait unless you're the Luby's early-bird type, low lit, blackboard special, mural on the wall, corner Italian spot. And here's another great thing about it, carafes of wine. Full carafe for $23, half for $13, and a glass for $5. I always go with the house chianti and we did the same tonight. It's wine. Decent wine. Not the fermented grape juice you worry about when buying by the bulk...and if you order a carafe, get ready. More than a bottle and I don't care what size of bottle you're talking about. It's a lot. Stick with a half carafe if you're on a date and want to remember it.
Alright, back to the meal real quick, we started with toasted cheese ravioli. Now I grew up going to St. Louis, the birthplace of this delicacy, pretty regularly as a child, and this is something I love. The toasted ravioli offered at Scalini's is good for a fix, but not the best I've had by any means. Cheese ravioli, dropped in hot oil, topped with marinara and shredded mozzarella and served piping hot. My only knock is that it doesn't come out with any breaded crispiness, but with a rather chewy texture that naked pasta dropped in a deep fryer could be expected to have. Not bad though, don't get me wrong. It's a standard order for us.
Entrees also come with a salad. Cut green leaf lettuce with a simple vinaigrette, small jarred olives and pepperocini, it's best enjoyed with a sprinkle of parmigiana, and is a good interim step to push the ravioli down to make room for the meatloaf.
Since I've been here quite a bit, I feel the need to mention some basics in ordering. First, this is a place that I go when I don't feel like red sauce Italian. In other words, I'm not going to order spaghetti and meatballs here. Not bad, but not something to go there for. Stick to their special pastas with cream sauces, their pizza, and most of all, save room for their cappuccino pie. Pizza's are some of the best in town, though not the best (Louie's), have incredibly thin nearly cracker crusts, and come served on a cafeteria tray. Toppings are varied and liberally applied, and the pizza is rarely a disappointment.
This is the ultimate in neighborhood spots, always packed and always good. A mix of all people, young and old, family and newly dating, foreign and domestic. Just good, good stuff.
I had to pour a Cynar back here at home, which for those who don't know is an Italian amaro made primarily from artichoke, which is bitter and acts as a digestiv, helping you digest and sleep well. But I think it's got it's work cut out for it tonight, because that fettucini and meatloaf are going to go down swinging.
Summary
Atmosphere: small neighborhood Italian joint, small bar with tv, good for groups, good for mass consumption of wine, good for a date, good neighborhood spot to belly up if the wife or husband is out of town
Food: American Italian with southwest influences
Dog Friendly: if you get one of the two outside tables
When to Go: dinner
Crowd: locals, young and old, ranging from 10 to 90
What to Order for the First Timer: meatloaf with a side of fettucini alfredo, chicken lasagna, penne romano, spicy chicken scallopini, fettucini alfredo
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