Saturday, February 9, 2013

How to Know a Good Italian Restaurant (in West Virginia) When You Find One


Where you just know some of your fellow diners have been coming every Friday night for years.

Where from the first bite of bread, you know you’re in the right place.

Where maybe there’s no carpet on the floor - only concrete, but you don’t notice.

Where the food is quick in the coming because taking a long time doesn’t necessarily make it better.

Where you take some of your main in a to-go box just so you can try one of those great desserts.

Where the waitress (and yes, here she’s a waitress, not a server) goes to check if they’ve got any of the wine you want only a glass of open so you can have your heart’s desire without having to buy a whole bottle of it.

Where paper-napkin-wrapped silverware banded by that brown paper band that’s like a post-it note but not doesn’t even bother you because the lack of fuss is part of what makes the food taste so good.

Where (you guess but don’t know for sure – but would if you were from here) the young man who, though not your server, comes frequently to your table to make sure all is well makes you think he’s surely part of the family who own the place and you’re glad he’s coming up in the business.

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Shout out to La Trattoria in Martinsburg, WV, a new fav, joining Clarksburg's Oliverio's and Julio'sand Wheeling's Undo's on my personal list of fab WV Italian restaurants.  No offense, Olive Garden, but really, who needs your franchise when we've got these folks?

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