Campus selects Ricatoni’s as best local restaurant

Ricatoni’s brings customers bread with herbs and spices as a free appetizer. This is one of the reasons people enjoy eating at Ricatoni’s.

If the aroma of Ricatoni’s Italian Restaurant does not draw you inside, the bread with herbs and spices should do the trick. If you still are not convinced, the delectable pasta and attractive atmosphere will surely seal the deal.

Ricatoni’s has the recipe for an amazing restaurant and has earned all of its hype. According to a poll conducted by The Flor-Ala, UNA students agree Ricatoni’s is the place of choice.

As a college student, I knew lunch prices would be much cheaper, but the quantity of pasta I received was enough to have a nice leftover meal that night. I would gladly live off the fresh, brick-oven baked bread with herbs, spices and olive oil doused all over.

For my entrée, I went for the most popular choice, and my personal favorite, the chicken fettuccine alfredo. This dish consists of peas, mushrooms, grilled chicken and fettuccine noodles drowned in creamy alfredo sauce.

One thing that really caught my attention was the waiter made sure to check that I was OK with the peas and mushrooms, in case vegetables were not in my diet. My stomach had found nirvana at the lunch price of $8.65.

If you are looking to venture from the normal, the Ravioli Ricatoni’s is a must try. This is not your typical Chef Boyardee ravioli. The pasta is stuffed with ricotta cheese and fresh herbs and the tomato cream sauce that will have you licking the bowl in the end. It also has the matching lunch price of $8.65.

If you can find room in your stomach to get dessert, there are two that are at the top of the list. The cannoli is two fried cinnamon shells with a sweet ricotta cheese filling, and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

The other choice, which is their most popular dessert item, is the Sogno Di Cioccolata. Whether you can pronounce the dessert or have to resort to pointing to it on the menu, it needs to be ordered. It is a rich fudge brownie with Kahlua (a coffee liqueur), crowned with chocolate mousse, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. If that does not get your mouth watering, nothing will.

If you are looking for Italian made, wood-burning oven pizza, authentic sauce, delicious pasta or even a common appetizer favorite like hot wings, Ricatoni’s provides it all. It has the perfect décor for a romantic outing and a lively staff ready for a good time. If you have not paid them a visit, believe me, it is past time.