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| Riccardo's is located at 3305 Capital Circle, NE, "Your Dining Room Away From Home." (Pictures were lifted from the on-line menu.) |
Many years ago, when I was a member of (as Hillary Clinton put it) the sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits, I found myself attending a financial session in the Tallahassee Airport meeting room.
At that time, the only part of Tally that I was familiar with was Monroe Street, where the Department of Health was then located, as well as a few of the hotels around the I-10 and Monroe Street exit.
Our consumer Board member was a Tallahassee native and wanted to take us to dinner at the "best Italian restaurant in North Florida." I didn't get the name, if she said it.
I rode with someone else.
We drove, drove, drove, drove. (Capital Circle NE is as far away from the airport as you can get in Tally - across town and opposite.) Finally, there was a strip mall. Nothing fancy. I had no idea where I was. "Best Bread in Tallahassee," the sign said. Secret Bread, it was called.
Dinner was delicious that night, long ago. When I moved here, I tried to find the restaurant without knowing the name or the location. When I couldn't get any information from the people I asked, I assumed that it had closed. Most of the local eateries that I was so excited to move near were no longer with us just before and - especially - after the financial crunch.
Last week I found myself meeting my family at Riccardo's for dinner. I hadn't heard of it, didn't know where it was, and never gave that a thought. I'm not yet familiar with all the dozens (hundreds?) of strip malls on Capital Circle.
When I drove up, however, I recognized the building! Inside, I asked lots of questions. How long have you been here? Is the room I'm sitting in an addition since the late '90's? Who owns the restaurant now? We ordered Secret Bread. Yes. This was the place.
Beth and I, who are forward-thinking and want to fit into our wedding clothes when the time comes, ordered antipasto. Delightful. Corey ate calzone. I don't remember that item being on the menu in the past. Tom chose the child's cheese pizza but Jack tried a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs - the same as his Granny had devoured after her meeting, long ago.
To be memorable, a family-style Italian restaurant needs a few signature sauces, a collection of high-quality pasta selections, a repertoire of delicious homemade mix-ins (meatballs, Italian sausages, spinach, great cheeses), good antipasto, and impeccable service. A top-notch wine list helps, but the table wine that we drank was excellent.
Riccardo's has a German Night on Thursdays. I have no idea why. The Italian offerings were tasty, served promptly, and left me with a feeling of camaraderie and hospitality. Yet, I'm going to visit again some Thursday evening soon! I love good German food, too.
