It should be noted that I've never actually set foot inside Bella Ciao Pasta Bar and Ristorante. I…read moreonly experienced it today through the lens of a takeout container. For lunch, I ordered the Chicken Marsala. You get to choose a side; options ranging from Alfredo Fettuccine to Green Beans to Mashed Potatoes to Spaghetti Marinara. I went for the Spaghetti. The meal also came with two breadsticks. Overall, the dish was decent but not remarkable. The highlight was the mushrooms in the Marsala wine sauce. They were flavorful and well prepared. The chicken itself was just okay. Without the sauce, it lacked seasoning, and the texture varied throughout the breast, with some parts tender and others noticeably tough or chewy. The spaghetti was good, though comparable to standard spaghetti you might find anywhere. The breadsticks, however, were disappointing; they were extremely hard and not enjoyable to eat. I also wish the Chicken Marsala and the spaghetti were packaged separately. Because of the amount of sauce, everything blended together in the container. I don't mind my food touching, but separating the items would make for a better presentation and texture. I do think other menu items may have more to offer. One mediocre experience isn't enough for me to write off the restaurant entirely, so I would consider trying something else in the future. However, I wouldn't recommend this particular dish based on today's order. Overall rating: 3/5.

The food here was really good. They have a nice selection of wine as well. It is a bit dark in the…read morerestaraunt, but a good vibe! Unforuntately our service was slow. I had a great date night here to celebrate my new job. Probably will be back at some point!

Went to the new one in Mall of America, what a total disappointment! Took 12 minutes for waitress…read moreto come over. She brought wrong garnish and proudly announced she has ADD!! The deep dish pizza was Dry and tasteless, salad limp not cold or fresh!! The manager was too busy bussing tables to manage his staff!! Definitely won't be back!

Service was great the whole time we were there, prompt, smiles and kept checking on us…read more We went for just apps to give the place a try. The menu looked fun, on line. When we arrived we were seated quickly at a nice table in a themed Italian space. We had the Calamari, an the Escargot. And finished with a piece of their homemade Tiramisu. All were very tasty: Calamari was a crispy, well flavored rings (darn I like the little squid) with a good sauce. The Escargot were plump and the garlic butter they came with was delicious, used the bread (very nice Baguette) to sop it up an hold an Escargot! A finished with the Tiramisu which was everything a good homemade desert should be ! The only suggestion would be to up the presentation on the plate of both of the dish's; the calamari and the escargot But had nothing to do with taste, which was excellent.

Grabbed a seat at the bar at Olio in Bayport and had one of those meals that reminds you why bar…read moredining can be just as good as a full table setup. I started with a glazed dish of what looked like tender bites of pork over sweet potatoes, topped with crispy quinoa and fresh mint - the sweet and savory combo with that herby crunch on top was addictive, and we scraped the bowl clean. For the main, the crispy skin fish was the star of the night. The skin was shattered-glass crispy, the flesh underneath flaky and perfectly cooked, and it sat on a bright, punchy salad with radicchio and shaved fennel that cut through the richness perfectly. The cocktails were just as thoughtful. I had a beautifully balanced sour-style drink with a soft foam top and a dusting of spice, and it was easy to see why the bar program here gets so much love -- the shelves behind the bar are stocked deep, and it shows in the drinks. The whole vibe at the bar is relaxed but polished, with the bartenders keeping an easy pace and clearly knowing the menu inside and out. Olio is proof that Bayport has some serious culinary talent tucked into it. Already thinking about what I'll order next time.

Have had Olio on the list of places to try for a while and a friend suggested making reservations…read more We went on a lovely Sunday evening for an early dinner. The space is small, but so adorable. There is also a nice patio. The cocktail and wine list were very intriguing, so decided to go for a cocktail. I tried the Sanka Ya Dead (mostly because of the name) and it was such a refreshing summer beverage. The food was spectacular. There was a corn appetizer special that I could not pass up. We also were among garlic bread fanatics, so had to get that as well. Both appetizers were delicious. I chose the rigatoni for my main with chicken parm. This was such yummy comfort in a bowl. The chicken parmesan was a giant piece, so you may have some leftover. I wasn't hungry enough to tack on dessert, but others got the olive oil cake and it looked good. I do recommend making a reservation, although bar seating appears to be first come, first serve. Definitely recommend a dinner at Olio.

We are HUGE fans of San Pedro and also huge fans of handmade pasta so we decided to try Olio. It…read moreboasts of handmade pastas. Right up my alley: Upon arrival. Cute and intimate atmosphere. Decor is cozy. Service is on point. Everyone is very friendly. Our sever is knowledgeable of the drink and food menu and all questions were answered with confidence. My drink, the clearly dirty is a take on a dirty martini. It has caper brine in it. And I can say I would 110% order that again. . Just unique and amazing. Red blend wine is what my hubby chose and that was also great. Food, sourdough bread is a great app, also got the arincini, also good. The entrees is where things got a little off. I got the shrimp pasta, and there were maybe 3 shrimp. I liked the spice level. Which was maybe too spicy for most. But it was SO SALTY. Just not enjoyable. My husband got the special, the lasagna. But no one said it was deep fried. It came out looking like a small, and I do mean small charcoal brick with cheese. He asked about the char and they revealed it was deep fried. Which is not clarified on the menu. They did ask again if it was okay... just not what was envisioned when ordering a lasagna on special. And as far going back. It's a no for me.

Total gem and a must dine. This has quickly become a favorite. Terrific service. Fantastic food…read more I've been three times so far, and each dish has delivered. Highly recommend the focaccia, the burrata, and bruschetta with peas, asparagus, and mortadella. My husband said the chicken parm was the best he's ever tried. I loved the cavatelli, and the Spaghetti Nero was out of this world tasty. Prices don't break the bank either. Get your reservations and enjoy!

Wonderful experience. Service was fantastic and food was great quality. Bona Casa has been serving…read morefood for years.

Food is fabulous! Family recipes and sauce are incredibly delicious!…read more Owners are friendly and personable-a delight to visit with them. Def a must stop if in the area!

Best Italian place in Woodbury hands down. Right across the street from the worst Italian in…read moreWoodbury (*cough Carmines cough*). Have been coming here for years and never disappoints. Staff are welcoming and friendly and the food is delicious.

Another place where I wish half stars were available. I'd give Angelina's 3.5, ahead of average…read more The biggest thing Angelina's has going for it is the atmosphere. The space is cozy and comfortable. There also happened to be a piano player in the night we visited. The food was fine, just nothing I was particularly blown away by. I had chicken marsala and it was just a bit sweet (yes, I know marsala is sweeter cooking wine, but this was almost sugary). I think I would try something different next time. It appeared they had some happy hoir specials and they do have to-go items available for purchase as well.

We got seated right away, and everyone we encountered was genuinely friendly and welcoming. We also…read moremet Erika, the manager, and despite my obvious affinity for anyone with such an excellent name, she earned the praise on her own. She was warm, pleasant, and took the time to chat with us. The food was SO good. As vegetarians, we had plenty to choose from, which is always appreciated. We tried the focaccia, cheese tortellini, and margherita pizza, and everything was excellent. We even grabbed a pasta dish to go for our teenage son, who gave it his own enthusiastic seal of approval. Our only little gripe: we were excited to see the Caesar salad labeled "VEG," since a truly vegetarian Caesar is surprisingly hard to find. We double-checked with our waitress, and unfortunately the dressing does contain anchovies. Fish is, alas, still an animal. Vegetarian generally means no meat or fish, while lacto-ovo vegetarians still eat dairy and eggs. Definitely not a dealbreaker, but the menu labeling could use a small correction so fellow vegetarians don't get overly excited about their Caesar prospects. The atmosphere was cozy with dim lighting and a really comfortable feel. At one point some questionable country music came on, but the universe apparently heard our distress and the playlist miraculously switched to rock. Crisis averted. Overall, delicious food, lovely service, great atmosphere, and plenty for vegetarians. We'll absolutely be back because the bruschetta still needs ordering. Highly recommend!

Hello my fellow travelers! This fine evening in Stillwater,…read moreI decided to check out Gio's again. Let's just say they did not disappoint in their lack of service. We walked in because the sidewalk board was still out and the sign on the door stated they were open until 10:00 PM. Upon entering, the bartender acknowledged us and then simply continued cleaning. After about 5 minutes, she went to the kitchen and came back out to inform us that they were closing early and we needed to go to another establishment. This is the second time I have been turned away here. Honestly, I would not recommend a restaurant that advertises it is open and then turns paying customers away.

My husband and I try a restaurant 2 to 3 times just to give it a fair chance. But each time we…read morewent it was so bad. The pasta was dry and hard the roast beef was dry I'm not even sure what my husband order the 3rd time but he took 3 bite and threw it away. If I could give less then a 1 I would.

Pizza was excellant. I prefer a thin crust pizza. The sauce was excellant with a lot of toppings…read more Price was reasonable. I wished they delivered a little further away. Actually if they charged extra for delivery I would be happy to pay for the service.

Great place to eat. I had the manicotti, and it was excellent. Very tasty, served hot in a…read moreskillet, tons of cheese and sauce. Kent is the owner and he takes a personal interest in every customer. The chef is Kent's son and he did a terrific job. Price was very reasonable for the huge quantity of food. Clean comfortable place to dine. Not real busy at noon, you can get in and out fast. I give this restaurant my highest recommendation. Don't forget to finish up dining by eating a delicious cannoli.

Our bartender was lovely. Super kind, somewhat attentive. We ordered two sets of wings, it took 35…read moreminutes to receive our food and we saw multiple other tables order after and receive their food. I enjoyed the wings. Voodoo is everything you would want in a savory dry rub. Twister was interesting- an italian/parmesan dry rub with a dash of tabasco; my partner disliked it but I loved it. Unique. It was only $12 an order on Wednesday, which was tolerable. At the full $17 this would be an absolute joke. Ranch was also mundane bottled and I got less than one stick of celery for my $.89 up charge to add it. They had adorable mini booths. The place was small, borderline cramped but not quite there yet. Charming. I would come back to try the pasta but the sizes of the dishes weren't impressive. This isn't a bad place- it's just absolutely average for above average prices.

Excellent food, great owners & staff, nice relaxed atmosphere - 5 stars!…read more I really like EF5. The food is excellent. I tried 2 kinds of pizza, 2 appetizers, 1 hot hoagie, and a specialty cocktail. Good stuff! I really enjoyed talking to the staff too. As it turns out, the people I was talking to were the owners. And their young daughter was hanging out on one of the back tables. They're very friendly, sincere people. It was a pleasure meeting with them. The service was a little slow and the orders got a bit mixed up. But everything else totally made up for a few minor glitches. I really love the old photos and the story about the monster EF5 tornado that leveled the entire city of New Richmond in 1899. I was totally clueless. It was the strongest tornado on record in Wisconsin. It killed 117 people and numerous horses. Incredible! The storm is the namesake of the bar. If you love pizza and drinks (and who doesn't?) , this place should be top of your list. Thumbs up! -Daddy Maxx Retro