Tom Hagen said:
TriAg2010 said:
Good thread idea. TBH, all Texas metro areas have generally lousy Italian food. We just didn't benefit from having any significant number of Italian immigrants settle here. Living in the North East made me appreciate that our Italian is about as good as their Mexican.
Don't dis the Carrabas, Mandolas, Vallones, Triolas, et. al..
True story.
Go check out the old school Mandola's Deli on Leeland for classic red & white checkered oilcloth-covered tables where they call the sauce "gravy." It's excellent.
And Carrabba's gets a bum rap because of their franchised locations but the two original locations on Kirby and Voss where they're still run by Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola are as good as any Italian restaurant not run by Scott Conant.
Personally, I know that when I go out for a nice dinner it's not Italian. I don't know why, it just is that way. That's not to say there aren't some good places but I think it's not in the forefront of the food scene here. Texas actually did have huge numbers of Italians settle here but not as many as NY/NJ, Boston, or Chicago.
