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| - Each time I have passed by Biaggi's on the way to or from Willard Airport, I have been intrigued by the building and wanted to check it out. It didn't scream "chain" from its outward appearance so I was a little surprised to learn it is but one of a number of locations in the Midwest. I don't harbor ill will towards a restaurant group necessarily-after all, Maggiano's carries it off well-but Italian cuisine doesn't always get its due in the chain format.
That's why I was gratified by my recent visit here. I think it's a decent choice if you want a little more upscale experience but don't mind spending a little more on dinner. The restaurant has a very intimate feel with dim lighting, dark woods, and plenty of booth space. Music is kept at a subtle level so you can enjoy a quiet date night here. It leans toward dressy but casual attire is not out of place. Once you are seated, you can enjoy the crusty bread dipped in olive oil and parmesan cheese that is kept on every table.
We passed on the alcoholic beverages for this visit, but they have a fairly broad list of wines. The menu is extensive with both seafood and meat selections typical of an Italian experience. We started with the calamari fritti, which came out light and crispy as it should and served with a marinara and one other sauce (I think an aioli). It was a generous portion and you could almost make a meal out of it. For entrees, we had a capellini di mare, a nice mix of scallops, shrimp, clams, and mussels on a bed of angel hair past. The spicy marinara was plenty hot but just slightly on the bland side and could have benefited with a bit more seasoning. We also enjoyed haddock stuffed with crab and served with seasonal vegetables. I want to mention that all of the seafood was cooked perfectly-no rubbery shrimp to be found. The green beans were too al dente for me though. Dessert course consisted of the chocolate cake, an extremely rich and most concoction, and my favorite, a lemon tower layer cake.
Service was relentless and almost on the verge of being too attentive, but I'll take that any day over being ignored. We never had to wait for either bread or drinks, and food came at a good pace out of the kitchen. I felt pretty welcome here.
Overall, this is a comfortable joint with very large portions, so you're not going to leave hungry. I think four stars is in reach for this restaurant. My only small knocks were that the prices were on the high side and that the execution of menu needs just a bit of sharpening. Still, I think it's a great choice to visit and I'll be back. Recommended.
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