Last month, business took me on a drive to a part of our community that I do not regularly visit. 19th St. becomes FM 1637 as you travel northwest to China Spring. The development along this corridor is proceeding at a fairly fast pace. With the growth, comes new restaurants to explore!
Our server acted as though it was his first day on the job. He repeatedly interrupted our conversation to ask if we needed anything or if all was OK. A less intrusive observational approach would have been appreciative. Still, he tried very hard.
The portion sizes were all very good and I felt they offered good value. Most of the dinners are priced between $10 and $15. This price includes a dinner salad (iceberg average) and some delicious house made dinner rolls (very good). The lunch specials are also a bargain.
How would I rank Italian Garden? If you are tired of chain restaurant Italian, then Italian Garden should grant you some welcome relief. The main dishes show some flair and provide something a bit different. I think it is on a par with Gratziano's and Rossati's. I would rank it ahead of all the Barris incarnations. It is worth the drive.
An old Hewitt favorite of mine, Trevino's, has resurfaced in this area after a brief stopover on Valley Mills. Zeb's Backyard Grill has been featured on a local PBS show because of its hamburgers. Another branch of the successful La Fiesta family has sprouted in this area as well.
With all these choices, it was difficult to make a decision where to eat first. I chose the Italian Garden at 10207 China Spring Rd. Owned by Nicki and Sophia Colaku, the restaurant has survived the most critical period for most places and is approaching its second birthday.
Because of its strip shopping center location, the restaurant has very little drive by appeal. Once you have parked I can't really say that a closer look will fill you with any apprehension of Great Food Inside. Upon entering you will find a more pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. You won't think you are in Naples but enough interior design is in place to make you feel like you are in an Italian setting.
Even this modest decor would be wasted if the food was poor. It is not. In fact, it has enough flavor and creativity to make it worth the short drive. My Italian sausage and peppers served over pasta had good flavor and was loaded with meat. Our young and inexperienced waiter suggested Joe’s Garden Special. Lot's of chicken breast sautéed with spinach and fresh tomatoes in a creamy pink sauce. A solid choice. The special of the day was a broccoli and fettuccine in an Alfredo sauce - again a large and tasty entree.
The house salad dressing was described as a tomato vinegarette. It came thickly applied and seemed to overwhelm the lettuce. My blue cheese was just fine. The pizza seemed quite popular at other tables and looked like something you might want to order.
The house salad dressing was described as a tomato vinegarette. It came thickly applied and seemed to overwhelm the lettuce. My blue cheese was just fine. The pizza seemed quite popular at other tables and looked like something you might want to order.
The portion sizes were all very good and I felt they offered good value. Most of the dinners are priced between $10 and $15. This price includes a dinner salad (iceberg average) and some delicious house made dinner rolls (very good). The lunch specials are also a bargain.
How would I rank Italian Garden? If you are tired of chain restaurant Italian, then Italian Garden should grant you some welcome relief. The main dishes show some flair and provide something a bit different. I think it is on a par with Gratziano's and Rossati's. I would rank it ahead of all the Barris incarnations. It is worth the drive.
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