My latest travels took me through Middletown, Delaware. I drove into the city around 5 pm, and I…read morewas so hungry, I could eat the butt out of a skunk. With a quick search for local restaurants, I came across Randazzo's Trattoria. I punched in the address of 103 Patriot Drive into the GPS, and off I went.
They have some merch by the front door in a little branch-off area to the left as you walk in. Then I turned right and met with a queue of people waiting for a table. Very rarely do I run into a queue waiting to get into a local restaurant. However, everyone I've ever visited has been so worth the wait. Again, my foodie senses were tingling in a good way.
As I waited, the counter was to the left, and behind the cashier, you could watch the staff make the pizzas. I was mesmerized. I love places that have an open view of the kitchen. There is something poetic I find about watching a cook or a chef prepare a dish in the kitchen.
I overheard the hostess talking to the couple in front of me about their reservation. So good tip, if this place is going to be a return stop, make a reservation.
When it was my turn, the hostess was friendly and showed me to my table. I sat with a perfect view, directly looking at the kitchen door. So, there was more to the kitchen in this place than just the pizza counter I saw as I stood at the front.
The place is a flurry of activity. The wait staff was flying through the place, getting drinks, delivering food, and getting refills. My waitress told me later on that they were short-staffed, which explained all the activity. Again, the staff was really hustling, which included the hostess. When she wasn't showing guests to their tables, she cleared tables, ran orders, and got drinks.
I started with the side salad that came with my meal. It looked and tasted fresh with a wonderful balsamic vinaigrette. It was a delicious and delightful beginning of the meal.
I didn't see any rusty lettuce, and it wasn't served on a cold plate, which suggests it was plated earlier in the day and kept refrigerated until serving time. It doesn't always mean that; sometimes, places refrigerate the plates they use for serving salads, and that's not a bad thing. But I have come across places that have done the aforementioned offense, and you can usually tell with the lettuce and other veggies being dried out and not tasting as good as fresh ingredients. This was not the case with Randazzo's side salad.
Next, whenever I see garlic knots on the menu, I have to order them. What can I say, I'm a huge lover of all things bread. Especially when it's covered in garlicky goodness. For me, these knots were perfectly made. They pulled apart, steam escaping from the now-exposed crumb within. The crust had just the right crispness. And the overall chew was wonderful.
The interesting part of this dish, for me, was the sauce. It was a thin, semi-watery sauce. It had a mild taste, and the seasoning wasn't overbearing. It complemented the garlic knot well. To my taste buds, the sauce became the welcome mat to the goodness of the garlic knots. As it hit my tongue first, it was like it was saying, Welcome. Allow me to introduce you to my friend, the garlic knot. These are a must-try if you ever visit the restaurant.
Then it was on the big show. The main course. I ordered their Chicken Piccata with Linguini. In all the dishes I've had, it's always been served with breaded chicken. This one threw me a bit with them making it with grilled chicken. But my goodness, it did not disappoint. The chicken was so tender. Perfectly cooked. And look at this portion! The picture does not do it justice because it was a massive plate.
The other star of this dish was the sauce. Most dishes I've had are a mixture of lemony butter, maybe white wine, broth, or sometimes oil. This was not your plain Jane Piccata sauce. The lemon and butter were definitely there. I think I tasted a hint of wine, but they either added flour or something else that gave it a little more body and a creamier texture.
And the Capers! They were huge. I've never seen capers that large. They just added that little extra to the dish with their little pop of lemony smoothness when you bite into them.
And the linguini was wonderful and cooked perfectly. The dopamine my brain was flooding my body with sent me deeper into gastronomic bliss with each bite. Before I knew it, I had finished the entire plate. My stomach yelled at me later as I waddled my way out to my car, but damn, it was worth it.
My overall experience with Randazzo's Trattoria was absolutely wonderful. The staff was warm and friendly, even as they ran around the restaurant, truly hustling. And I speak from experience, that is not easy to do when you're working a full shift.
If you ever find yourself in Middletown, Delaware, I strongly suggest stopping by Randazzo's and giving them a try.
