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| - Holy geez, I love me some Jimmy Dadonna's.
Located in a renovated building that used to be a food court, Jimmy Dadonna's is a full-service, sit-down, classy-but-casual kinda place. As I sit here in Washington, DC, I miss the garlic ball thingies that are delivered to the tables at Jimmy D's. Sigh...
Jimmy's menu consists of all sorts of Italian-American staples: pastas topped w/marinara, meat sauce, aglio e olio, clam sauce, etc.; chicken/veal/shrimp/eggplant parmesan; pizzas; and other yummy stuff.
All main courses are served w/a salad. What my mom typically does is order the calamari appetizer as a main course, ask me not to eat my salad, and then toss the hot calamari over the cold salad. She always has calamari leftover for future use in another salad.
There used to be a dish on the menu called shrimp sherry. It consisted of sauteed shrimp in a garlicky, sherry-laced, chunky tomato sauce served over spaghetti. Years ago my dad decided to order this dish--but with chicken. Ever since then, this is his staple at Jimmy D's as well as my own. When my dad is feeling really gluttonous, he eats the whole thing. I'm not sure how, as there is literally a pound of pasta on the plate. And probably about half a lb. of chicken breast pieces. Whenever I order this, it lasts me about three meals. If not more. I'm serious. Portions at Jimmy D's are absolutely huge.
Jimmy's specialty is marsala sauce, w/veal or chicken. When Jimmy's in the kitchen, it gets a special touch (owner's love? I do not know). My grandma loves this stuff SO much that she spoons the extra sauce directly into her mouth. The last time I was there (May 2006...far too long ago), I convinced my grandma to slurp the leftover sauce up w/a straw. She did so without reservation. Or shame. And I have a picture of it.
Jimmy Dadonna's doesn't feel like it used to be the home of a Sbarro and the now-defunct Cajun Joe's chicken restaurant--but it was. The place has been transformed into a restaurant w/high ceilings and a warm and cozy interior. I believe they opened up a party room a year or a year and a half ago, so people can now have engagement parties and the like in the space.
Everyone I've brought to Jimmy Dadonna's has really enjoyed it. The large portions will run you a bit more than at other places (I think chicken sherry is somewhere around $16...same w/other chicken dishes...and a small pizza is probably around $10...I think the aglio e olio I had was $12 or so, but it lasted a looooong time), but the quality of the food is fantastic. Plus, I really love being able to enjoy a meal a second and third time!
The service isn't anything special--no one seems to go out of his way to make your experience amazing--but no one is rude. The staff is friendly enough and they make sure your water glass and bread basket are full. I don't need every whim catered to here; all I want is to sit back, eat some garlic balls, and enjoy my food w/friends and family.
Whenever someone asks me if I miss Cleveland, I say no. Then I pause and say, "Actually, I don't miss Cleveland, but I miss one particular restaurant..."
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