Bravo
Restaurant
Review: Villa Napoletana
East Longmeadow- Tucked away in a small plaza
on North Main Street just over the East Longmeadow line, Villa
Napoletana might be overlooked. But this tiny Italian restaurant
is well worth searching out for a dining experience that’s
anything but ordinary.
On the side of the intimate dining room where we sat, a colorful
scene had been painted in the center of the wall’s neutral
surface to make it appear as though the view was being glimpsed
through a narrow opening. The other side of the room had a
mosaic pattern decorating part of the wall. Italian music
played in the background, adding to the atmosphere.
Skimming over the appetizer offerings which included Zuppa
di Clams, Fried Calamari, Antipasto Fresco, and Portbella
Griglia (a grilled portabella mushroom cap topped with julienne
proscuitto and fresh mozzarella), we decided on an order of
Bruschetta. This was a delectable rendition of this popular
starter, with six rectangular pieces of baked Italian bread
topped with homemade pesto, sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella.
We enjoyed glasses of house wines -- a light Pinot Grigio
and a dry Chardonnay -- along with our appetizer.
Entrée choices are abundant, ranging from chicken (Marsala,
Amaretto, Milanese, Cacciatore, or Francese) to seafood (salmon,
mussels, shrimp, and calamari) to beef (filet mignon, pork
chops, veal are all represented). Naturally, the most extensive
options come under the pasta heading, as seems fitting in
an Italian restaurant. The adults in our party chose the Orecchietta
Villa Napoletana and the Penne Gorgonzola. Our two younger
diners had bowls of ziti with butter and tomato sauce, respectively.
Entrees come with green salads, garnished with tomato, cucumber,
shredded carrots and olives. Though fairly basic, the salads
were fresh and tasty. We enjoyed ours with Blue Cheese and
Peppercorn Ranch dressing.
The Orecchietta Villa Napoletana certainly deserved the honor
of bearing the restaurant’s name. A heaping bowlful
of saucer-shaped pasta (the name means “little cars”
in Italian) had been tossed with fresh tomatoes, garlic and
broccoli rapi which had been sautéed in a butter and
cream sauce. The slight bitterness of broccoli rapi and the
acidity of the tomatoes balanced the richness of the butter
and cream perfectly. The Penne Gorgonzola was equally successful.
Chicken, mushrooms and roasted red peppers had been sautéed
in a gorgonzola cream sauce that had been splashed with brandy
and tossed with penne, resulting in a thoroughly satisfying
dish. There were no complaints from the younger set, either.
Warn bread was served with our meal.
From a recited dessert menu, we chose cheesecake, cannoli,
and chocolate mocha cake. Prepared out of house, these were
nonetheless fresh and very high-quality treats, perhaps provided
by a local bakery. The cheesecake was rich and dense. The
cannoli had a crisp shell with pleasantly strong nut flavors
in its creamy, chocolate chip-studded filling. The chocolate
mocha cake was a deep devil’s food cake with a coffee-accented
chocolate ganache. This was a unanimously delicious ending
to a completely satisfying meal.
Cheryl Rubeck Parzich
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