Bake 425, which opened in April 2011 at 1012 W. Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr, is a take-out, bake-at-home pizza shop and the latest project from Pete Howey and Aaron Nocks, owners of Peace-A-Pizza. Elizabeth Comiskey of Phoenixville’s Farmers Market helps source the completely organic, seasonal ingredients. The menu is mostly pizza, ranging from simple plain or Margherita to more innovative combinations such as the “Southwest Sausage”, which features organic tomato sauce, locally made Italian sausage, mozzerella & fontinella cheeses, sliced poblano peppers, caramelized onions & fresh oregano. Other offerings include organic salads, apple crisp and “ginormous” cookies.

The store itself is bright and open; chalkboards & kitchy decor create a casual-meets-gourmet feeling. (The space will also be available for in-store events and catering services.) Staff are friendly and willing to answer questions about the menu or the cooking process. Especially appreciated is the “demo kitchen”, where customers are shown how to insert and remove ‘za from the oven. (It seems easy in theory, but you don’t want to lose a pizza on the bottom of your oven – trust me.)

On our initial visit, we couldn’t resist the “Nutty Chick”, a tantalizing combination that includes butternut squash puree, fontinella cheese, arugula, pancetta, herb-grilled chicken, shaved Parmesan & fresh rosemary. Though I recall reading that Bake 425 would offer a choice of gluten-free, vegan, whole wheat, and regular thin crust dough, these choices weren’t listed on the menu, so they either aren’t available yet or you have to ask. I meant to inquire about whole wheat, but it slipped my mind at ordering time.

Though the temperature 425 is an integral part of this store’s identity, directing customers to cook pizza at such a low temperature is a bit odd. Professional kitchens typically cook thin crusts at 800-900F; home ovens obviously don’t get that hot, but I typically aim for 475-500 when cooking my own ‘za. Bake 425′s pie isn’t all that thin, which is probably part of the reason the suggested temperature is lower. Still, these instructions might need tweaking. Though the outer crust got crisp quickly, the center was undercooked, and the top didn’t get bubbly as a great pizza should. I even resorted to pulling out the blowtorch to crisp the cheese, but that didn’t help much.

My personal preference is for the thinnest possible pizza crust; I’ll complain, for example, about the thickness of Neopolitan-style when coming from Rome’s paper-thin pizzerias. So, Bake 425′s crust, which falls somewhere between local Italian (thin) and Greek (thick) style pies, was disappointing. If you prefer it with a bit more heft, of course, this may be less of a concern.

Despite the crust complaint, the balance of flavors on the Nutty Chick was outstanding. Butternut squash sweetness perfectly offset the salty pancetta, woodsy fresh herbs and pungent flourishes of Parmesan. Though the menu explicitly listed rosemary, I detected a blast of sage as well — probably from the “herb-crusted” chicken. Interestingly, while the herbs on said chicken were essential, the chicken was probably extraneous. Restraint is crucial when it comes to pizza ingredients, and the chicken — although it certainly didn’t cause any flavor imbalance — may have weighed down the pie and contributed to the cooking troubles.

It was difficult to judge the doneness of the “ginormous” cookie, due to a lack of experience cooking such absurdly-sized treats. Alas, I believe I slightly overcooked it. Considering the ginormousness (this thing could easily satiate 6 adults after a meal of pizza), it seems that offering a choice of smaller cookies would be better for both cooking execution and portion control. Though the cookie was decent while hot, it didn’t hold up well the following evening (it became brittle and bland), thus I would have preferred to have extra uncooked dough for another fresh batch.

Price is certainly a consideration when ordering from Bake 425. For $17, a large Nutty Chick feeds 2-3 people (more likely 2). Considering the quality of fresh, organic ingredients, this is actually quite reasonable, but feeding a family will certainly cost more than a trip to the corner pizza shop.

Lastly, one surely can’t write about Bake 425 without a comparison to Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza, the torch-bearer for ready-to-cook pies on the Main Line since 1981 (who, incidentally, suggests cooking at 475 degrees). In reality, with Mom’s locations in Devon, Havertown and Newtown Square, there probably isn’t a great deal of direct competition for a shop in Bryn Mawr. If, however, they were located on the same block, Mom’s would be the easy winner, for their superior, thin crust and evenly-cooking pies. Don’t write off Bake 425 just yet, however. Though there were a few flaws in the execution, a knack for creative, tasty flavor combinations sets the foundation for success.

Bake 425's Nutty Chick, before

Bake 425's Ginormous Cookie, before

Bake 425's Ginormous Cookie, after

Bake 425
1012 West Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA
610-525-6425
http://www.bake425.com | Facebook | Menu

Pick-up and delivery is available 1:00pm – 8:00pm Sunday through Thursday and until 9:00pm Friday and Saturday.

For years, Savona – the Italian fine dining destination restaurant between Conshy and King of Prussia – has been on my restaurant wish list. The prices, however, have stood in the way of a visit. $40 for an entree? In Manhattan, maybe, but not Gulph Mills. So, when they announced a renovation that would introduce a new dining experience, BAR Savona, which would offer a more casual atmosphere, relaxed prices, and rustic, simple Italian fare, (alongside the existing fine dining) the opportunity to finally dine at this longtime Main Line fav seemed imminent (so long as you consider 18 months imminent). A recent visit was a mixed bag; the food is good, but the atmosphere is inconsistent with the restaurant’s promise of a more casual experience.

Not knowing what to expect when we got there, the tiny size of the bar area was a bit surprising. Based on what I’d read about BAR Savona, I was expecting two very different dining spaces, with a considerable area devoted to the bar. Instead, the cramped, crowded entry area included those eating at the bar, two four-tops near the bar, and those waiting for tables in the main dining room. Apparently there is additional bar seating upstairs, but we were eventually (after a 25-minute wait — with a reservation — with no open seats at the bar) seated in the formal dining room, but presented with the bar menu. This could be taken two ways — on one hand, here we were, sitting in one of the more exclusive dining rooms in the area, about to receive food and service from one of the top kitchens. However, there was one major problem: it’s stuffy. We were all set for a night of salads & pizza in a casual atmosphere, and now we were forced to sit in this overly formal, quiet dining room. Elegant? Romantic? Sure, it was both of those things, but we signed up for neither when we made the reservation.

The service, which might have been one silver lining of our unfortunate location, was actually quite mediocre, especially considering the pedigree of Savona. Do they place less attention on the tables ordering from the bar menu? Probably. But, as mentioned previously, we weren’t looking for 5-star service. Yet, whenever we needed something — whether it was to place our orders, request another drink, or similar — we had difficultly finding someone to help us. When we ordered a second bottle of wine in between our pizza and pasta courses, it didn’t arrive until after we’d ordered dessert. A good neighborhood trattoria shouldn’t make these mistakes, so the “bar menu” excuse doesn’t hold water.

Could the food make up for our atmospheric concerns? We started with two salads, “baby arugula, reggiano ‘paper’, cherry tomatoes, lemon” ($11), and “escarole, toasted walnuts, red onion, pecorino romano, walnut oil” ($11). The lemon vinaigrette of the former was quite nice – tangy and fragrant, but the salad itself left a bit to be desired. It’s true that Italian food is about simplicity and letting the ingredients stand on their own, but this was a bit too simple. A pile of arugula and a handful of cherry tomatoes on a plate, with 3 shavings of cheese (calling it “paper” doesn’t really help), just seemed pedestrian. The second salad was a bit more complex, but the dressing wasn’t quite as tasty.

The brick-oven pizzas, one of the main draws for us, were solid, if a little uneven. We tried the “salsiccia”, fennel sausage, peppers, onions and a farm egg ($14), which, despite the potentially heavy toppings, was built with restraint and thus nicely balanced yet still packed with flavor. We also tried the “marco castro”, which came with pancetta, san marzano tomatoes, arugula & red onion ($14). A large pile of arugula that was dressed with the same lemon dressing from our salad sat on top of this pie, uncooked. As nice as this dressing was on our salad, it overwhelmed the flavors of the pizza (not to mention wasn’t included in the item’s description), so we found ourselves removing it to enjoy the remaining salty pancetta, tomatoes and cheese. The crust on both pizzas was thin and charred, but it was a little too cracker-like to be considered world-class. Just a bit more chewiness, and they’d really be on to something here. Still, these should be considered top tier for our ‘burbs.

We also sampled a couple of the pasta dishes: firstly, the ricotta gnocchi with lamb ragout & Brussels sprouts ($17), which paired light, airy gnocchi with savory, melted lamb. There was more meat than expected, but it was not overly gamey and thus paired effortlessly with the simple pasta and bitter greens to create what was probably the best dish of the evening. We also tried the farrotto of the day (a risotto-style dish made with farro, an Italian grain similar to rice), made with Butternut Squash. Farro is a bit firmer than rice, creating a chewier dish, however it was still nicely prepared. In all honestly, however, I don’t remember too much about it.

For dessert we tried the special, a molten chocolate cake “for two”, which easily could have served six adults. It was tasty, yes — though nothing all that special — but after a big meal, really how many bites of oozing chocolate does one need? I was spent after about 3, and we barely made a dent in the dish.

From a value standpoint, the BAR Savona menu is reasonable — you could easily share an app and get a couple pizzas or pastas without breaking the bank. The problem with the restaurant’s setup (as we’ve detailed above), however, creeps into the value proposition as well. Basically, you’re eating pizza, but paying fine dining prices for drinks. Yes, Savona has an amazing wine list. In fact, they have the only master sommelier in the area, Melissa Monasoff. But, for most of us, pairing a $150 bottle of Brunello with a pie is pure folly, as is spending $50 on a simple, everyday red. No, this isn’t a unique problem to Savona, but the odd connection between the BAR and the formal restaurant accentuates it. (Incidentally, there is also a small but interesting beer list and quite a few creative cocktail creations.)

Maybe I’m being overly negative — Bar Savona does, after all, offer some tasty food. But that’s only part of what you pay for when you go to a restaurant, and I felt misled about the atmosphere. We were promised casual and then forced to do formal. You have to be in the mood for formal; we weren’t. So maybe it’s just a marketing thing. Or, maybe Savona should give the bar some more space to better accommodate an actual bar scene, if that’s the crowd they need to keep their business going.

Or, maybe we should try again during the summer, when the terrace is open, and we can enjoy the bar menu on the surely-more-casual porch.

BAR Savona
100 Old Gulph Road
Gulph Mills, PA, 19428
610.520.1200
http://www.savonarestaurant.com

Reservations via OpenTable
Valet Parking
Accepts all major credit cards

When news broke that Martini’s Italian Market was coming to the Paoli Village Shoppes, I’ll admit the name had me expecting a Carlino’s-style market that focused on prepared food and Italian products. In reality, however, Martini’s — which is run by relatives of the Martini’s who ran the eponymous restaurant in Devon for many years — is firstly a sandwich shop and cafe, with a wide variety of creative and interesting hoagies and sandwiches and a surprisingly ample seating area. There is also a small selection of prepared foods and dinners available to go, along with a small, interesting (if a bit haphazard) selection of pastas and other Italian goodies.

Though there are 5 or 6 takes on the Italian Hoagie on the menu, we immediately focused on the “House Special” ($6.99): roasted porchetta with broccoli rabe, sharp provolone on a Sarcone’s-style sesame semolina hoagie roll. Good Italian pork sandwiches aren’t exactly hard to find in this area, but this one is a formidable addition to the already great local selection. The salty pork and gravy pairs effortlessly with the bitter greens and the sharp cheese, and the wonderful toasty roll sops up those flavors like a pro. (The first menu, btw, stated this came on a Kaiser Roll — they certainly made the right call ditching that idea!)

Another excellent sandwich option is the “Paoli Specialty” ($6.95), a proscuitto & ricotta panini that spins the classic Sicilian vastedda. The ciabatta bread was crusty outside but fresh and soft within, and the creamy ricotta, bitter arugula and salty ham (I’m sensing a theme here) were an excellent pairing, if a bit messy. There was far more proscuitto than ever needs to be on a sandwich (this rich, savory type of ham is much better in small quantities), but it was easy to remove some (and my dog was quite happy). In addition, I would love to see this sandwich served warm throughout instead of just crisped on the outside.

Moving away from the Italian theme for a minute, I’m a sucker for the Thanksgiving-style hoagie, so “The Babs” ($7.25) had to be tried. Described as a “classic turkey hoagie with cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo”, and served on that same Sarcone’s-style roll, The Babs gives The Bobbie — Capriotti’s King-of-all-Thanksgiving-hoagies sandwich — a serious run for its money. No joke – this is one of the best I’ve had. The turkey is so fresh and roasty, with none of that processed cold-cut slime, and the cranberries and stuffing add classic freshness. The roll’s subtle but crucial toasted sesame flavor is what takes it to the next level.

Martini’s dinner menu includes simple classics like spaghetti, ravioli and Chicken or Veal Parmigiana, as well as a daily dinner special for each night of the week. We tried the baked meat lasagna, which was rich and flavorful without being too heavy. It was quite cheesy, but the meat was used with a bit more restraint. The sauce was a bit oversweet, but used some interesting spices (cinnamon and/or vanilla, maybe?). At around $16 for two huge pieces, this was certainly a nice take-out dinner for a busy night.

Lastly there are a wide variety of dried and frozen pastas (including a large selection from Springfield Pasta), a selection fresh Italian cheeses, as well as various and sundry gourmet goodies. Olive oil lovers might check out the refillable-bottle deal: buy a large glass bottle of EVOO filled from the big tin for $18, and refill the bottle for $14 going forward. Martini’s also carries One Village Coffee beans, a MLD reader favorite and a nice alternative to the mass-produced Starbucks or Saxby’s available nearby.

Overall Martini’s is an excellent addition to the neighborhood. The staff is friendly and willing to chat in depth about the food, which is simple but well-made and tasty. Get down there and try it!

Martini’s Italian Market
Paoli Village Shoppes
17 Paoli Plaza
Paoli, PA 19301
Phone: 610-644-3800
Fax: 610-644-3900
http://www.martinismarket.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 9:00am to 7:00pm

When longtime Berwyn mainstay Trattoria San Nicola closed abruptly last April due to a supposed “expired lease”, some eyebrows were raised, especially when the space was quickly snapped up by Alfred and Barbara Giannaccari of Newtown Square Alfredo’s fame. Though it is perhaps unfair to the Giannaccaris to immediately compare the two restaurants, it is only natural to do so when they are so similar in concept. Luckily for both Alfredo’s owners and their patrons, however, the new team brings a freshness and creativity to the Southern Italian concept that – though there is nothing wrong with what places like San Nicola are doing – is a nice breath of fresh air into the local Italian scene.

The dining area’s setup is quite similar to it’s predecessor, with two small dining rooms separated by a grand passageway, both with large windows overlooking the street. The decor has been spruced up a bit with warm, orange and brown tones. The atmosphere is bustling, and while owner Barbara informs us that they’ve recently taken some measures to curtail noise, we saw no problems with the atmosphere or service.

As mentioned, the menu is Southern Italian – lots of pasta, seafood and meats like veal and chicken – and though it can be difficult to bring a great deal of creativity to these dishes while maintaining authenticity, it is nice to see Alfredo bringing some new ideas to the table. For example, we started with the arancini, a Sicilian risotto fritter that we’ve been been making in my family for generations, but that has only recently begun to appear on US menus with any regularity. They certainly weren’t as good as my mother’s, but they were true to the old world style, and worth a try if you haven’t had the pleasure. Our only complaint was that the marinara they came with was cold — an unnecessary error that dampened our enjoyment of the dish.

The selection of pasta entrees is short but enticing, and several called to us on this first visit. Rigatoni Amitriciana, the classic Roman staple of tomato, pecorino and pancetta (why is it so hard to find guanciale around here?) was wonderful, as the rich flavor of the bacon mixed ever so well with the pungent cheese and tangy tomatoes. I’d prefer to see this with the traditional long-cut bucatini, or even just spaghetti, but that’s certainly a nit. Elsewhere, I was worried that the Agnolotti Alfredo – half-moon shaped pasta filled with ricotta cheese with cream sauce & spinach – would be too heavy, but in fact it was just the opposite. The pillowy pasta melted in the mouth, and the ingredients for the sauce were used delicately to create a succulent, must-try dish. Lastly, spaghetti and meatballs was simple but delicious, however the meatballs were rare in the middle, a relatively minor but elementary kitchen error that, along with the cold sauce on the rice balls, left us perplexed, especially considering the excellent highs we saw from the same kitchen.

Aside from these few execution snafus, Alfredo provides the quintessential neighborhood experience – casual, simple fare in an upbeat, casual environment. The menu is not huge (unlike some other local Italian joints), but it offers a nice variety and some dishes that are new to the local circuit. Prices are extremely reasonable, and the BYO factor certainly adds even more value. Here’s to hoping this new Berwyn Italian mainstay lasts as least as long at the last one!

NOTE: On January 12, 2011, Alfredo will be hosting a benefit for “Coats for a Cause”, accepting monetary donations and used coats. More info on Facebook.

Alfredo Italian BYO
668 East Lancaster Avenue
Berwyn, PA 19312
(610) 640-2962
http://alfredobyo.com

The combination of fresh, local ingredients, creative, innovative Italian-American cuisine, comfortable-yet-refined ambiance and brilliant service make Restaurant Alba one of the most exceptional restaurant experiences in the western suburbs.

Food: Things kicked off with a complimentary amuse of sunchoke puree with extra virgin olive oil. This robust oil was also served next to crusty Italian bread.

We started out with the “Batsua” ($12) – a crispy fritter made from braised pig’s feet and belly, served with a mustard crema. These had a wonderfully “porky” flavor; though we expected it to be like bacon, it was closer to a smoked pork barbecue. Though frying this concoction seems excessive, it was certainly worth trying. We also sampled the Antipasto ($15pp – changes daily), a sampling of 5-6 “chef’s choice” appetizers. All were excellent — but our favorite was the goat cheese & grilled ramp bruschetta.

Wood Roasted Goat, served alongside grilled whole grain polenta and soffrito braised greens ($31), was tasty and savory. To make this dish, a whole goat is slow-cooked overnight on the dying embers of the previous night’s fire and then braised before a quick reheat on the grill. It’s a uniquely flavored meat — closest to lamb but not quite as gamey.

The Berkshire pork shoulder, served with crispy spaetzle & peas, charred fennel and a bit of Tupelo honey sauce ($26) is cooked in similar fashion to the goat, and the quick grilling just before serving gives it a texture almost like a crusty bread — crispy on the outside but light and fluffy inside. In contrast to the goat, the honey and cider jus gave this dish a subtle kick of sweetness.

A grilled rib-eye special was served with sea salt and fine tuscan olive oil alongside crispy potatoes and a mixed green salad. It was a simple dish — the “crispy” potatoes were really cold homemade chips, which was a bit disappointing — but the steak was well-cooked and quite tasty.

Alba also offers 4-5 pasta dishes such as Veal & Sweetbread Ravioli, Morel Mushroom & Vegetable Soffrito ($20) and several fish entrees like the Atlantic Tilefish with Nettle & Potato Gnocchetti, Grilled Meyer Lemon & Caper Brown Butter ($29). The menu changes seasonally.

For dessert, we tried the Chocolate Pot de Creme with Almond Torrone Whipped Cream ($8), which was light and slightly minty, creating a palate-cleansing feeling. It wasn’t spectacular, but we still cleaned the plate.

Bar: Once only a BYOB, Alba now offers a full bar. (BYOW is still allowed at $10/bottle.) A small list of beers focuses on local crafts from Victory. The wine list, on the other hand, culls mostly from Italy, with a large variety of hard-to-find small producers (or at least as many as you can get through the PLCB system). They also make house-infused grappa for those with fortified stomachs.

Service: Though the food is excellent, the attention to service at Alba is what truly sets this restaurant apart from others in the suburbs. Clearly the staff and management understand how to handle any issues and resolve them quickly and satisfyingly. Our very first dinner at Alba, shortly after they opened, showcased their attention to detail. A pork chop originally came from the kitchen extremely undercooked, so much so that it was inedible. A passing waiter (not our own) quickly noticed that I looked unhappy and offered to take the plate back to the kitchen. Never a good situation to have one plate of hot food on the table and not the other, our waitress quickly reappeared with a small appetizer to tide me over until they could fix up the chop. Obviously I was unhappy with the fact that my food was not prepared well at first, but the professional and caring way that the entire staff handled the incident was brilliant.

On a more recent visit, our waiter once again illustrated how seriously Alba takes service. There were no errors from the kitchen this time around, but our waiter answered every question we had about the menu (there were quite a few) with a level of knowledge and detail as if he would be personally preparing each entree. He had no hesitation to help us choose the entrees that would be suit our interests and needs.

Ambiance: Artsy and comfortable, bustling yet romantic. There are two rooms, the main one which features an open kitchen, and a more private side room. The main room is perhaps a bit more compelling because of the large wood oven in view, but there isn’t a huge difference.

Value: As with many restaurants that move from BYOB status to bar status, the value proposition at Alba has gone down a bit. It’s nice that they offer a BYOW option, but the $10 corkage is quite steep. Wine bottles are not outlandishly priced (at least compared to other restaurants), and value can be found with some digging, but most bottles are at least $40. Entrees haven’t dropped in price since the bar was added, so expect to pay upper 20s or even low 30s. It is hard to complain when the quality of the food and experience is consistently excellent, but Alba is certainly no longer your neighborhood restaurant for a casual Friday night.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 4
Reservations: Yes (recommended even on weekdays) OpenTable
Bar: BYOB
Cards: MC/Visa
http://restaurantalba.com/
7 West King Street
Malvern, PA
610-644-4009

Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza has been around for many years, but it wasn’t until recently that I was first persuaded to give it a try. Isn’t the point of getting pizza that you DON’T have to cook?

I was intrigued, however, when I heard that Mom’s offered whole wheat crusts – something one doesn’t exactly find at every corner ‘za joint. Looking into it further, I was amazed at the variety of dough options (oat bran! multi-grain! boardwalk-style ultra thin!) and toppings (artichoke hearts! eggplant! turkey pepperoni!). For those of us who love pizza, but don’t love the guilt that comes with eating and serving our loved ones the greasy, sodium-laden stuff that most pizza has become, Mom’s is a desperately welcome option for healthier indulgence.

Our go-to pie has become whole wheat with white sauce (oil, garlic and spices), grilled chicken and zucchini (pictured). Though it can dry out more quickly, the crust adds a rustic flavor that white flour simply cannot offer. Thinly-sliced zucchini is perhaps the perfect pizza topping – easy to layer, flavorful and healthy – but somehow it is a rarity on pie in the states. (We first fell in love with the idea in Rome, and include it in almost all of our homemade pies.)

Though we prefer to build our own combo out of the myriad of traditional and non-so-traditional toppings, Mom’s also offers all kinds of pre-built suggestions, such as “Positively Pesto” – Pesto Sauce, Grilled Chicken, Feta, Red Onions & Sundried Tomatoes, “Chicken Fajita” – Grilled Chicken, Red Onions, Green Peppers, Long Hot Peppers & Plum Tomatoes, and many other wild options. Stromboli, wings, pastas, salads and cookie dough are also available.

All in all, moms is a great option to have for pizza lovers looking for a fun, healthier option. Expect to pay a bit more for the high-quality, fresh ingredients (our pie is close to $19), but isn’t it worth it to avoid the guilt?

Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza
896 Lancaster Avenue, Devon PA
Next to BMW – Parking in Rear
(610) 254-0580
Hours: Sun-Thurs 3-8, Fri 12-9, Sat 2-8
http://momspizzadevon.com
(they have online ordering but it can be temperamental)

Before:

After:

Italian BYOB on West Chester Pike in Edgemont. A recent review by “The Dining Duo” (in the Trend) suggests that it is a Fellini Cafe-type joint, with simple, inexpensive Italian fare. I didn’t get the feeling that the Duo was overly impressed, but then again it seems like a popular spot already.

If “The Carnivore” wants to jump in here, feel free… ;o)

Rating: 2 silver spoons out of five

Overall: San Nicola serves traditional Italian food that is well-prepared but lacks creativity. It is absolutely a reasonable neighborhood restaurant for a weekday meal, or someplace to take a larger group where everyone will be satisfied. For a special night, however, the lack of ingenuity falls short, especially for the adventurous eater.

Food: Standard Italian fare, simple but well-executed. Start out with the Cheese & Pepper plate, served family style ($3 per person), to enjoy homemade sweet roasted red peppers and a variety of excellent Italian cheeses. The grilled red snapper fillet served with a white wine cream sauce, roasted peppers and toasted almonds ($17.50) was a nice dish, if a tad bland. We also tried the beef filet ($21.50), grilled a perfect medium rare and served with a red wine demiglace and garnished with whole roasted garlic and fresh rosemary. The Misto di Carne ($19) offers a nice variety of sauteed sausage, chicken breast and veal tenderloin topped with a cream sauce of peas and carrots, but again is a pretty boring dish. The best dish we’ve had is the grilled salmon filet ($18) served with salmoriglio sauce (olive oil, lemon and garlic) — the salmon was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender within, and the simple sauce brought out the fish’s flavor.

TSN recently started offering a side of vegetables instead of the longtime tradition of a pasta side, perhaps in part because of the suggestion on this very page.

Ambiance: Several small rooms, decorated Tuscan-style, with windows surrounding the entire building. Because the rooms are small, it can get very loud, which can either make it seem like a hot spot or cause a headache, depending on one’s mood. There is also a small, smoke-free bar area for a quick drink and meal. The Paoli location is nicer than the Berwyn location.

Service: Pleasant and competent. A few blemishes — had to wait for a table with a reservation on a weeknight, even though there were several open tables, and one request for a minor plate change (from the menu) was not handled correctly. A few years ago at the Berwyn location, we had to wait 45 minutes for a table with reservation.

Value: The prices seem a tad high for the quality of food, especially considering the fact that they sell alcohol. One nice feature is the BYO policy — although they do have a full bar, they allow BYOW for a $10 corkage fee. Granted, corkage fees are generally evil, but when faced with paying restaurant markup or bringing a nice bottle from home and dropping an additional few bucks for the privelage, this seems to create a good value proposition.

Details:
#of times we’ve eaten there: 3
Cards: Yes
Reservations: Yes (you still may wait at busy times)
Bar: Full, BYOW with $10 corkage
website: http://www.tsannicola.com

NOTE: The Paoli location has closed. There are several other Fellini Cafes in the area, though not all are the same ownership group.

Rating: 2 spoons out of 5

Overview: A micro-chain also located in Berwyn and Ardmore, Fellini is a wildly popular Italian BYOB. The buzz about Fellini in the general population is great, and the wait on a weekend night would seem to confirm this fact. Those who truly appreciate fine food, however, will quickly understand that Fellini’s success comes from offering a wide variety and huge portions (creating the semblance of value), not necessarily from putting excellent food on the table.

Food: The vast menu offers 119 different Italian dishes, 50 of which are pasta and 20 of which are pizza. Unfortunately, the best dishes on Fellini’s menu also tend to be the most unhealthy; cream sauces, cheese and butter abound. The portions are HUGE (almost every table takes home a doggy bag), meaning that not only is the food unhealthy, but most diners will eat far more than normal.

There are, of course, some lighter options, but from experience these are pretty uninteresting. At a recent visit, I tried the Penne dello Chef (Sausage, broccoli & sundried tomatoes in an olive oil garlic sauce… $11.95), but it was on of the blandest pasta dishes I’ve ever had (except for the sausage which was excellent). On the otherhand, the potato gnocchi in a creamy pesto sauce was absolutely delicious, but it left us with lead stomachs.

There are daily fish specials, a couple salmon dishes on the regular menu and plenty of salads, and while it would take years to try everything here, after one visit I feel confident saying that the fat-laden dishes are where the flavor is at, creating a difficult dilemma for any Fellini diner concerned with their health.

Ambiance: Over the top tuscan decor, but kitchy and casual.

Service: A lot of young kids serving tables here, but our waiter was well-trained and earnest, appropriate for this type of establishment.

Value: Many Americans equate value with the amount of food served — from this standpoint, Fellini is an astonishing value — two people can stuff themselves for less than $30. On the other hand, those of us who put more emphasis on the quality of food will find Fellini’s cost to be about appropriate for what it is — a cheap, casual meal.

Details:

#of times we’ve eaten there: 1
Reservations: Yes, although be prepared to wait
Bar: BYOB
Cards: Yes
Takeout: Yes
Site: http://fellini-cafe.com

Rating: 5 silver spoons out of 5

Overview: Hidden deep in the neighborhoods of Conshohocken lies the best restaurant in the Suburban Philadelphia Area, Totaro’s. An unassuming local tavern from the outside, Totaro’s is fine dining of staggering quality — and of staggering prices. While not for the faint of wallet, Totaro’s is worthy of the splurge, featuring amazingly creative takes on traditional Italian dishes and a unique variety of game options. It should be noted that we have not eaten at Totaro’s in quite some time, and recent reports from other patrons suggest a downhill trend.

Food: The kitchen specializes in game dishes — expect to see Wild Boar, Venison, Elk, and the like on the specials menu. If you’re not as adventurous, the regular menu features more traditional Veal, Steak and Fish options. (And while I’ve never had the Osso Bucco, it is said to be the house specialty.) Each entree served at Totaro’s is an assault of flavor and complexity. In contrast to the corporate steak house — steak on a plate with a side of potatoes and vegetables for example — the food here shines specifically because of the kitchen’s ability to pair each ingredient in such a way that it is not always possible to decipher what completes each bite. The thing I love most about Totaro’s is when I take a hearty forkful, and although I could never list every ingredient on that fork, it simply tastes phenomenal. On a recent visit, one special was a juniper glazed venison double chop with smashed rutabaga, roasted butternut squash, smoked duck potato hash, sweet slaw all in a reduction sauce. It was sweet, hearty, succulent, and flat out awesome.

Perhaps Totaro’s finest moment comes at dessert, which usually includes a extraordinary brownie which is served warm, covered in oozing molten chocolate, housed inside golden phyllo pastry. Go ahead, read it again. No, it won’t help any dieters out there, but it is sooo worth it.

Ambiance: The best way to describe Totaro’s is that it seems like an old school mob hangout. There is a small, cozy dining room adjacent to a bar with some additional seating areas.

Service: Everyone at Totaro’s is gracious and helpful. On one visit we had to wait a while, even with a reservation, but the staff did their best to keep us happy while we waited.

Value: When you come here, value should be the last thing on your mind. Entrees regularly hover in the mid $30s, and can even approach $50 for specialties (a Kobe Steak on one visit). While a trip to Totaro’s may cost as much as two trips to your favorite restaurant, for my money it is worth staying home once to eat here, especially for a special occasion.

Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 3
Reservations: Yes
Payments: Cards
Bar: Full
http://www.totaros.com