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| - I really (really really) wanted to love Aiello's. I am a voracious champion of the red-sauce joint, very different than the traditional Italian-from-Italy meal. The catch phrase "East Coast Italian" spoke leagues of poetry to me - calamari, eggplant parm, and mounds and mounds of tiramisu. Upon examining the menu, my grandmother and I saw Scungili (similar to conch) and were sold - she was transported back to her days in Brooklyn and felt an atavistic longing to give the place a try. Aiello's has made us an offer that we couldn't refuse. With husbands in tow, we went for a nice dinner and a trip down memory lane.
Disarmed from the get-go, we walked in to Chef Joe working the room and eventually getting around to seating us. You can tell he's a professional charmer, he immediately asked us why we didn't answer the phone that was ringing at the host's stand. Our waiter and Chef Joe took turns all night proffering jokes and witticisms - I didn't have a huge problem with it and chalked it up to friendliness, but my husband thought it came off as smarmy to the point of distraction. I had only wished that Chef Joe might spend a little more time in the actual kitchen.
Bread basket contained a homemade foccacia and a delicious accompaniment of cherry peppers in olive oil. Probably the best thing we had all night. Caesar salad was missing a dose of anchovies and garlic - rather bland and one-dimensional. Calamari and fried zucchini were both oily and needing of a good squeeze of lemon and marinara for dipping in order to make them a little more palatable. For the entrees, my Tortelloni alla Panna were so-so - the pasta was fresh and tasty but again, the cream sauce was one dimensional rather than being luxe and silken as you'd want it to be. My husband had a chicken breast Saltimbocca that was almost inedible - it was so overcooked, he could barely cut through it. Very disappointing. Scungili over linguine was indeed tender, but in need of a heavy dose of red pepper and not at all memorable. The homemade ravioli of the night was prosciutto and caramelized onion - again just so-so. Not a single taste on the table to challenge us to come back.
The night was finished with Chef Joe's "Pick a Number" game - he pulls a random number (1-80, I believe) out of what looks like a carafe and if it's the one you've guessed, your meal is on him (minus the alcohol). I kind of wished we'd won, because 3 appetizers, 4 entrees and wine came to $50/pp before tax and tip. I'm not a price queen, but if I'm spending the money, wow me a little. All that flair and attention in the dining room, but none of it in the kitchen. There are WAY too many great Italian places in Phoenix to not bring your A-game every time. Plain and simple.
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