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| - Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. After a prior poor experience at Tomaso's and other Phoenician Italian eateries, I was almost certain I would just have to wait for my next trip home to get some good pasta. Enter Aiello's. OMG. (Did I just say "OMG"?? How embarrassing... the pasta made me do it.)
To us, Aiello's was always that shadowy little restaurant next to our perennial favorite, Postino. Now we wonder why we didn't walk across the street more often! The first time we went, I had the special, a mushroom ravioli that I cannot stop thinking about even to this day. Earthy, savory, creamy, tender... it was after the first bite that I knew I would become a regular at Aiello's. My wife opted for the veal paillard. It was a bit tough, and we ended up eating the ravioli together and taking the veal home. Dessert was a cannoli and coffee. Just okay in my opinion. The cream was not smooth and had a weird grainy texture. Still, Aiello's was on our good list.
Recently, after a harrowing day (see my wife's review of Back to Basics Automotive for the scoop), I was miserable and hungry. My wife knew that the pasta from Aiello's would perk me right up, so she whisked me off and made sure I had a glass of wine in hand as soon as we were seated. We ordered the cold antipasti platter for two and were not disappointed. It wasn't the plated in the most artistic way, but it was so delicious that we soon left nothing but an oily smear anyway.
For dinner, we shared the Tortolloni Alla Panna. OMG. The cheese-filled tortolloni was fresh, perfectly cooked, and well balanced by the peas and prosciutto. The cream sauce left me speechless (which I'm sure my wife appreciated). It was the perfect comfort food I needed after my terrible day.
A note about the ambiance, since other reviewers have given it a bad rap... I like it! The walls and lines are clean (not sterile), uncluttered, and soothing. It feels as fresh as the food. Simple, honest, straightforward, and still cozy. The lighted Christmas wreath that stays lit over the bar all year long is a little weird, but I like a restaurant with a quirk or two.
Aiello's has to be one of the most surprising, pleasant culinary discoveries of ours in the last few months. We will be back again and again.
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