Someone wrote: >I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT IS IN THE >UNITED STATES. This is of course, a silly question. If it happens to be in Anchorage, Alaska, will you go there? However, there are some good Italian restaurants in your neck of the woods (Mankato, Minnesota, right?). If you're in the twin cities, why don't you check out Coco Lezzonne or Pronto's. Both are very good. CL is a bit more raucous and more like a trattoria in atmosphere. Pronto's is a bit on the quiet, stodgy side, but both have excellent food. My preference runs toward CL. (which means "Dirty Chef" or "crazy chef" in Italian---actually there is a famous restaurant in Florence by the same name, so I've heard from a visiting Prof from Florence). A few good Italian friends (two from Naples and Rome, one from Venice and the other from Pisa), had very good things to say about both places. Ciatti's, which is regularly voted best Italian restaurant by the Minnesota Magazine (?) is crap. Americanized, bland, creamy or alfredo on Everything. Even the staff's pronunciation (they say "see-aughtties") is wrong. They don't know the meaning of Al Dente. Oh, one other place to try is a small place in St.Paul on Cleveland and I can't for the life of me remember the cross street. It's almost across the street from St.Catherine's college...actually it's a few doors down. (the entrance to St.Catherine's is right on the corner of Cleveland and this cross-street). I also can't remember its name. Something like Luna's? Leah's? It only has about ten tables so it's advisable to make reservations (sorry I can't remember the name..you'd have to drive past it in order to figure it out). It's run by a couple: an Italian woman and her gregarious Minnesotan husband. I've been quite pleased with their food. -Nick Firoozye [email removed]
Minnesota
BEST ITALIAN
The best Italian restaurant in the United States is definitely Niccolino's Garden Cafe in Sunnyvale, California (near San Francisco), but there are other excellent places around the country as well. I think Mama Leone's in New York City should get honorable mention, along with some other places previously mentioned. Still, the best is Niccolino's Garden Cafe. And if you doubt that, the only way you're going to find out is by trying it yourself. Don't forget to make a reservation (yes, I'm being a little sarcastic here). :-Dan
Nikan F. wrote: Someone wrote: > >I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT IS IN THE > >UNITED STATES. > <good restaurants in Twin Cities deleted> > Oh, one other place to try is a small place in St.Paul on Cleveland > and I can't for the life of me remember the cross street. It's > almost across the street from St.Catherine's college...actually > it's a few doors down. (the entrance to St.Catherine's is right on > the corner of Cleveland and this cross-street). I also can't remember > its name. Something like Luna's? Leah's? It only has about ten tables > so it's advisable to make reservations (sorry I can't remember the > name..you'd have to drive past it in order to figure it out). It's run > by a couple: an Italian woman and her gregarious Minnesotan husband. > I've been quite pleased with their food. > It's called Luci's, and yes, the food is excellent. Reservations are advised. I lived less than 5 miles from there for years, and only went once, just before moving. I deeply regret it - I try to eat there every time I go back. :-( Of course, if you're going to be in the St. Paul area, you need to eat Vietnamese. Curried Mock Duck is a treat I can't seem to find out here in California. Best, Pete Clark
Nikan F. wrote: >Someone wrote: >Oh, one other place to try is a small place in St.Paul on Cleveland >and I can't for the life of me remember the cross street. It's >almost across the street from St.Catherine's college...actually >it's a few doors down. (the entrance to St.Catherine's is right on >the corner of Cleveland and this cross-street). I also can't remember >its name. Something like Luna's? Leah's? It only has about ten tables >so it's advisable to make reservations (sorry I can't remember the >name..you'd have to drive past it in order to figure it out). It's run >by a couple: an Italian woman and her gregarious Minnesotan husband. >I've been quite pleased with their food. Restaurant (Ristarante??) Luci. And it is very, very good. It would be my nomination for Best Italian Restaurant in Minneapolis. I agree about Ciatti's, it's the pits.... Mike Christensen
Milano in a shopping mall in Latham, NY, near Albany/Schenectady/Troy is an excellent northern style Italian restaurant, comparable in quality if not size and scope with my other two favorites in the US, Spiedini in Walnut Creek CA, and Pronto in Minneapolis. A definite must if you are in this area. Dr. James B. Comly (Jim); Physicist, Artificial Intelligence GE Corporate R&D, 1 River Road, Schenectady, NY 12301 [email removed]; Phone: (518)387-5920; Fax: (518)387-6845