Ot- italian restaurant greater farmington valley | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Ot- italian restaurant greater farmington valley

I have a massive soft spot for Pagliaccis, having gone there since the early eighties. I wouldn’t call it a “nice” restaurant though.

Is Capo still open in Litchfield? That was like a polished up version of Pagliacci’s. Both have great food tho
 
Fishy said:
Olive Garden in West Hartford.

It’s pasta - it’s all the same. The 19 year old boiling spaghetti at Carbone’s was working at Olive Garden last week.
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What food do you like that actually requires any cooking skill? Not pizza or lobster rolls or pasta. So what tickles your fancy? Have you ever had a real homemade ravioli?
 
MrP said:
I have a massive soft spot for Pagliaccis, having gone there since the early eighties. I wouldn’t call it a “nice” restaurant though.

Is Capo still open in Litchfield? That was like a polished up version of Pagliacci’s. Both have great food tho
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Yes, DaCapo is still there. I go every time I'm back in CT. Viron Rondo owned it/ran it with another guy who passed away before Viron opened up the place in Cheshire.
 
Deepster said:
A little hidden gem in Canton is Buon Appetito.


No website. Only open 5:00-8:30. BYOB. Small spot. Every dish is made from scratch and made to order. Not a spot to rush in and out of since it's made to order but everything I've ever had there is a knockout.
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Agree 1000%. I’m part Italian and it’s my favorite spot. It’s also bring your own bottle!
 
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temery said:
Olive Garden.

Yes, I have very low standards. But I love their pasta and breadsticks.
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Almost, but better stated “Never ending breadsticks and salad … just like the old country”.

If anyone hasn’t seen the MadTV spoof OG ad, search it and watch. Funny.

“There's nothing we love more than going out for a real, authentic italian meal. But when I get a coupon, we go to the Olive Garden!"
 
Deepster said:
What food do you like that actually requires any cooking skill? Not pizza or lobster rolls or pasta. So what tickles your fancy? Have you ever had a real homemade ravioli?
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Really? Fish.
 
MrP said:
I have a massive soft spot for Pagliaccis, having gone there since the early eighties. I wouldn’t call it a “nice” restaurant though.

Is Capo still open in Litchfield? That was like a polished up version of Pagliacci’s. Both have great food tho
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Pags always had good food, and plenty of it. Prices were good too. What more does one need?
 
First and Last Plainville. Original Special and Eggplant. . Avon was great but closed. Prop to Fla.
Carbones opening new Rest.in downtown Htfdr.in spring.
 
Last edited:
Mercato. I have been to the Canton location multiple times and it’s nicely done. Food is very good. Prices average to maybe a bit high but not terrible.
They now have several locations.
 
jibsey said:
Mercato. I have been to the Canton location multiple times and it’s nicely done. Food is very good. Prices average to maybe a bit high but not terrible.
They now have several locations.
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Opening new restaurant WH.
 
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superjohn said:
I think Viron Rondo seats around 1,000 people now or it will when their next expansion is completed.
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Food at Viron is very good but there are two problems:

1. They overbook on weekends. Even with a reservation, expect to wait 20-30 minutes for a table. I'm too old to deal with that crap. If it rains and they need to fit in the patio patrons, forget about it.
2. It is really loud. Don't expect to be able to hear anyone not seated next to you.

I'm also concerned that quality may suffer when he does his next big expansion.
 
jibsey said:
That’s a big space, should be good for them.
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Will need to expand the bar configuration -Bertucci era- to accommodate Yarders swinging by for Max-style HH. Seating was pretty tight at B's bar
 
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husky429 said:
My wife puts a single pinch of salt in the water for a pound of pasta. She is banned from cooking pasta.
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You gotta get her up to a minimum of 1.5 tablespoons per lb of pasta.

Another trick is to cook the pasta about 2-3 min less than what the box says for all dente. Strain and retain a out 2 cups of the water. Finish cooking the pasta in the retained water for the remaining 2-3 min. When done add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the water the pasta was cooked in to the sauce. Finally add the pasta to the sauce. You should have about 3 cups of sauce per lb. of pasta.

ucjoet said:
Gepettos in Torrington has a great cozy atmosphere and terrific food. The owners are from the Italian island of Sardinia ( my parents are from there). Try the Sardinian wine Cannonau, and Sardinian after dinner drink of Mirto. You will not be disappointed
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I have a 2017 Cannonau in my cellar that I have been waiting to open, probably 2 more years before I do. Fun fact, it is the same grape as Grenache but the Sardinian soil/terroir gives it unique characteristics that the rest of the world where Grenache is grown cannot mimic.
 
ColchVEGAS said:
Another trick is to cook the pasta about 2-3 min less than what the box says for all dente. Strain and retain a out 2 cups of the water. Finish cooking the pasta in the retained water for the remaining 2-3 min. When done add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the water the pasta was cooked in to the sauce. Finally add the pasta to the sauce. You should have about 3 cups of sauce per lb. of pasta.
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The issue is not my ability to cook, brother. It's my wife's. I can make you the 4 Roman pastas by memory any day of the week.
 
Stew Crew said:
Diorio's and La Tavola in Waterbury are both really good. They are a bit more upscale than your neighborhood pasta & pizza joint.
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Diorio's is a beautiful restaurant. I'm surprised they've stood the test of time in Waterbury at those prices. They don't exactly fit in with the rest of the neighborhood.
 
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husky429 said:
The issue is not my ability to cook, brother. It's my wife's. I can make you the 4 Roman pastas by memory any day of the week.
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I hear you. My wife is Portuguese, she cannot be trusted to cook any Italian dish. The kids are at the point where they ask before even getting to the table "who made the pasta and sauce?"
 
ColchVEGAS said:
I hear you. My wife is Portuguese, she cannot be trusted to cook any Italian dish. The kids are at the point where they ask before even getting to the table "who made the pasta and sauce?"
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My wife cannot be trusted to cook anything. At all. She comes from a family that eats out 5x a week instead of cooking. We visit for a few days in the summer and I have to bring my own cooking utensils and spices because they have NOTHING.

The two things she can make (grilled cheese, white people tacos), she stands over my shoulder, criticizing every 5 seconds.

Very smart and successful woman. She's not even a bad cook... she's just incapable of starting. Meanwhile, I'm prepping a good 15-20 meals for a week because she's knocked up and angry at everything. This week was tuna salad, mushroom/spinach/walnut lasagna, baked tofu burrito bowls, and a chili that I froze because the Mexican grocery store had a bunch half off that were about to expire.
 
superjohn said:
Diorio's is a beautiful restaurant. I'm surprised they've stood the test of time in Waterbury at those prices. They don't exactly fit in with the rest of the neighborhood.
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The bar, tin ceiling, and some of the floor tiles are original and go back 100 years.

Diorio's closed for about 4 years. They had severe water damage just before Covid and just reopened last year. Still as good as ever.

Most of their patrons, myself included, are former Waterbury residents that live in the suburbs now.
 
ColchVEGAS said:
I hear you. My wife is Portuguese, she cannot be trusted to cook any Italian dish. The kids are at the point where they ask before even getting to the table "who made the pasta and sauce?"
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Maybe its time to introduce her to "The Pasta Queen" series on Prime
 
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