Pompilio's

Pompilio's and I did not get off to a great start.

It might have been the dull, white bread or the salty, too-hot potato soup... but I was not impressed right off the bat. I also think that many of the online reviews hype this place up too much-- it is not, in fact, like stepping back in time to some kind of idyllic Italian experience. It was more like stepping into a second-rate Olive Garden, if you ask me.

And when my meal showed up-- an Italian sampler, pictured at right-- you can see why I wasn't quite sure what I was in for. It felt like they were trying to hide something from me under Mount Marinara.

But my experience turned around as I plowed into the sampler. Underneath the red eruption hid meat ravioli, cheese ravioli, eggplant parmesan, Italian sausage, a meatball and their well-known lasagna. I devoured them all (less the sausage, which Dan ate) and was pleased with all of them. The lasagna was good... the eggplant was best.

I will eat here again. (As often as Dan and I have Italian food, we're bound to repeat restaurants from time to time.) It didn't shock and amaze me, but it filled me up with warmth and carbs and sometimes that's enough.

Pompilio's website: http://www.pompilios.com/