Vinny Vanucchi's delights with
atmosphere, top-quality food
by Brooks Hines
America's Seniors/TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com
There were three names that always
surfaced when we asked people about restaurants. One was Vinny
Vanucchi's Little Italy, overlooking Galena's main street.
The other two were Fried Green Tomatoes and The Back Street Steak House.
We had already set up a visit with The
Back Street (see our review by clicking on the story list to the left
about great steaks), and we had made arrangements to visit The Grape
Escape, which is owned by Fred Bonnet, who is also the owner of Fried
Green Tomatoes, planning a later trip to the restaurant itself.
But we almost overlooked Vanucchi's. The
loss would have been ours.
We recouped when we boldly walked into
the restaurant to meet Jack Coulter, the Irishman who conceived of
Vanucchi's. (That's right, he's Irish and he has a great Italian
restaurant). We told him about our visit and stories, and he
graciously invited us to give Vanucchi's a try.
Coming from St Louis, which is
world-famous for its Italian restaurants, we had to be a bit skeptical
about the ability of this charming Irishman to deliver a similar high
quality.
It didn't take long for us to discover that the reputation for quality and
ambiance was well-deserved.
From the moment one enters Little Italy,
it is evident that the greatest effort has been made to ensure an
authentic Italian Bistro quality. There is an outside patio,
complete with dinner and drinks being served. Inside, a massive display of
Italian cheeses, seasonings and breads greets you.
The entire restaurant is tastefully
done. The multi-storied restaurant offers an authentic, intimate
look and feel, and, the staff reflects Jack's commitment to hospitality.
But, it was the food that capped the
evening. We started our meal with a 'fried' ravioli. We were
especially interested to sample it to see how it compared with toasted
ravioli, a St. Louis favorite.
The ravioli was prepared perfectly. It was light, but tasty with a
wonderful cheese filling. It was the sauce, however, that gave us
the first clue to one of the secrets of Vanucchi's--the emphasis upon
freshly prepared, high-quality products. This was also evident in
the freshly baked garlic bread (from Jay's Bakery just across the
street). It was crusty, but not overdone.
Our salad, with a Raspberry vingerette
dressing, was equally delightful, offering a tasty, yet not too-filling
step before the entrees.
Be prepared to eat when you come to
Vanucchi's. When our entrees arrived, we were overwhelmed by their
size. (Yet, all are relatively moderately priced in the $15 to $20
range.)
I had a fantastic seafood over pasta
that featured a white sauce that blended perfectly with the lightly sautéed
shrimp, crab and fresh sea scallops. It was prepared perfectly.
My husband, Dan, had Veal Marsalla with capons.
This is a favorite of his, and again Vanucchi's live up to its
reputation. The sauce was lightly caramelized, giving the veal a
rich, lingering mouth feel and taste.
My son, Peter, devoured a triple-layer lasagna,
that again reflected the taste of freshness and quality ingredients.
For dessert, we shared a rich chocolate
cake that provided a perfect ending to our meal.
In conversations with Jack afterwards,
he explained that the many fine restaurants available in Galena have set a
standard of excellence that all must meet if they are to succeed.
His goal was to develop an Italian restaurant that was above a
'franchise-look' establishment with bland, run-of-the-mill foods, and that
offered a complete and memorable dining experience with high quality foods
at a reasonable cost.
He has succeeded, and we recommend that you visit Vanucchi's. Be
prepared to look for it, however, since it is located up an outdoor
stairway at 201 South Main. Like us, you'll be glad that you made the
effort.
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ights with
atmosphere, top-quality food
restaurant offers an authentic, intimate
look and feel, and, the staff reflects Jack's commitment to hospitality.