Dining With Denise
Over the last several years, I have really become a foodie. We are lucky that Hamilton County is now home to many different restaurant concepts and types of cuisines. I would be delighted if you would join me at local establishments for “Dining with Denise.” Cheers!
Recently, I visited Pasto Italiano, a local family-owned restaurant, located at 3150 E. State Road 32, Westfield. Once you walk in, you forget completely that you are in a suburban strip mall as the dimmed lighting, tasteful Italian decor and quiet cozy atmosphere transport you to a romantic restaurant in Italy. A perfect spot for Date Night (if you aren’t with your editor), but also comfortable for families. The owners, Kent and Patsy McNall, are involved in the daily running of the restaurant. Patsy was running the front of the house and helping servers, and Kent was in the kitchen helping the chef.
After you sit down, you are poured a glass of ice water and your drink orders are taken. They have a full bar and extensive wine list. I recommend the Merf Cabernet. Each table is then served unlimited freshly-baked bread with three different accompaniments: Garlic butter, vinegar and oil, and my favorite, a garlic olive spread.
I started off dinner with “Antipasti,” an appetizer of Arancini, which is hand-breaded fried risotto stuffed with mozzarella and sweet peas with a creamy tomato sauce. The risotto was cooked perfectly, which is not an easy feat, especially when you are also going to fry it, and each bite was cheesy, creamy and a hint of sweetness from the peas and sauce. An added bonus is that I had some bread left, so I dipped the bread into the leftover creamy tomato sauce from this dish, and it was excellent. Other appetizers that came highly recommended were the Calamari, “Patsy’s” Meatball and the Salsiccia E Peperoni. Portions are large and great to share.
I did not partake in an “Insalate” course, but I would have gone with the Caprese Salad because it looked fantastic and I love fresh mozzarella. The entree selections included Pasta, Pesce (fish) and Carne (meat), and many of them allowed the diner to customize and choose their own protein. I had the Grilled bone-in Pork Chop, topped with peppers, onions and a dijon marsala sauce with bacon roasted potatoes and green beans, and also the Ravioli Del Giorno, freshly made ravioli stuffed with cheeses and paired with shrimp in a garlic butter broth with cherry tomatoes and spinach.
I had to work a little bit (and may or may not have projectiled a shrimp tail into my editor’s lap) to get the perfect bite of shrimp, ravioli, spinach and a tomato half, soaked in broth, but when I did, it was worth every effort. Colorful and light, this dish is spot-on in flavor. The grilled pork chop was so very delicious and had juice running out of it when I cut in. I do not like overcooked protein, and this was perfectly cooked with the slightest tad a light pink in the middle. The potatoes were crispy and seasoned well and the bacon added a tasty punch of flavor.
At this point, I was full and attempted to protest, but glad I did not because dessert was magnificent. I split the large portion of tiramisu (which means pick me up) and it was divine; creamy, crunchy, but not too sweet. The perfect ending to a wonderful meal.
So, please plan a visit to Pasto Italiano. They take great care in the tradition and quality of their food and their chef-driven menu brings the tradition and passion of Italian cuisine to the forefront. All of their delicious menu items are handcrafted and authentically prepared. They have daily specials, wine specials on Wednesday, and live entertainment two nights a week.
Check out their menu and make reservations at pastoitalianowestfield.com or call (317) 804-2051 – tell them “Dining with Denise” recommended them.
Reporter photos by Denise Moe