Fellini's was recommended to me by my boss, who knew all things delicious in Norfolk. I tried it with my friend and Navy coworker the first time, and feeling adventurous, I ordered the Bourbon Street pizza...best choice ever. It had slices of andouille sausage that kicked up the spice the exact right amount. For a personal pizza, it's probably too much for the average eater, but if you're hungry, you would scarf the entire thing down regardless of the size, because it is just that amazing.
I've also tried the Goat cheese gourmet pizza, another simple but amazing creation. Everything tasted fresh, with chunks of garlic and perfectly roasted red peppers.
Outside of pizza, I've been back for the Creole Romano, an angel hair pasta dish with shrimp and my new obsession, andouille sausage. That is a really heavy dish that is very difficult to finish. I wished for something to lighten it up, since the cheese and sausage were just sitting like lead in the pit of my stomach after only a few bites.
The last thing I've tried over a series of visits to Fellini's (can you tell I'm a fan?!) is the angel hair pasta with marinara and meatballs. Firstly, I am a really picky pasta person, and I was overjoyed that angel hair pasta was not only an option, it was a mainstay on the menu. I didn't have to request a substitute pasta!! The marinara was chock full of chunky tomatoes, garlic, basic, etc, so that it didn't just slide around messily in the bottom of my bowl, which was gargantuan, by the way. The pasta was cooked excellently; I felt like it would definitely pass the pasta-sticking-to-the-wall-when-thrown test. I sweat the meatballs have mint tucked in there somewhere, since the aftertaste isn't blandly meaty, but complex and flavorful. By far, this is my favorite dish here and I crave it whenever pasta is mentioned. I haven't had pasta yet that matches up, not even my own.
Moving to the non-food portion of my evening, the service is usually pretty decent in my opinion. I've been to Fellini's with a large, 5+ party and with just my husband and myself, and on all occasions I have been seated immediately, or we were able to seat ourselves. I suggest sitting in one of the interestingly appointed booths toward the back behind the bar, or by the fireplace if it's cold out and it's lit. Usually my husband angles for a seat with a view of the TV if a sports game is on, and most of the restaurant is situated so customers have a view. Definitely take a tour of the restrooms, they have [tasteful] nude art. I found that intriguingly Italian.
Lastly, you should read the back of the menu. Apparently, the former owner of Fellini's was shot right at the bar in the late 90s. It's a good story that will provoke mafia-infused conversation, I'm sure. It's a little morbid to have that on display while you eat, but it didn't bother me. Probably not a good story for the kids, although the rest of Fellini's appears to be family and local friendly.
Overall, I would say GO! read more