Most praiseworthy was the linguine with white clam sauce ($15.95), for the al dente cooking restraint, but mostly for the in-shell little necks in addition to the copious chop clams. We guessed thyme as the hint of herb we were enjoying.
I had a special, veal bracciole and gnocchi ($15.95). The veal was wrapped around what looked like pancetta, and the pasta had plenty of an especially tasty marinara sauce. Johnnie could have her pasta Capri ($14.95) with linguini, bowties, cappelini or penne — fresh, not dried — in a sherry sauce. She picked the last pasta, and it came heaped with lots of roasted peppers, black olives, and fresh field mushrooms that weren’t overcooked. The pieces of chicken, added for only $2 more, were lightly floured before being sautéed.
The service was mezza-mezz, as they say. There were only two waitresses and lots of tables, but the waitress that wasn’t ours always took a moment to remove our plates when passing, while ours kept us endlessly waiting both to get the check and to pay for it.
On a less family-friendly note, they charge $6 to split plates. I guess they were getting tired of people getting away with dinner at lunch-time prices, but six bucks?
To cap off your meal, they offer tiramisu, spumoni, and chocolate cake. Needless to say, our pasta fest filled us sufficiently, so we begged off. Maybe next time — since there certainly will be a next time.
Bill Rodriguez can be reached atbill@billrod.com.
On the Web
Spirito’s: spiritosrestaurant.com
