Bistro di Napoli

[bergerka]

A bad cold curtailed most of my planned restaurant expeditions on this trip to Phoenix, but we (mom, dad, brother, brother's gf - yes, she of the cookie clusterfuck - and me) did make it to Mom & Dad's new favorite: Bistro di Napoli, at 5830 West Thunderbird, just past 57th Avenue.

Vincent Desiderio, from Long Island, and his family own and operate the place, and Vincent is always in the kitchen. Service is warm and friendly - and they were very accommodating to the weird sense of humor my brother and I share. They grow their own herbs and make the pasta on site - always a good sign.

We ordered a variety of appetizers - their fried calamari is absolutely delicious, among the best I've had, crisp and just salty enough, with a spicy, zesty tomato sauce for dipping. Be forewarned if you order the antipasto platter - a serving "for one" was plenty for four, and had a good selection of cured meats - including some really awesome prosciutto - cheeses, and olives. Bruschetta was simple and yum, toasted rounds of bread, rubbed with garlic and topped with chopped tomatoes, basil and a little oil and balsamic vinegar.

I ordered the gnocchi with "blush" sauce (a mixture of spicy marinara and cream sauce). Now, before I continue: gnocchi are the acid test for me. Slkinsey makes the best I have ever had (and I'm not the only one who thinks so - they are wildly popular among our friends), meltingly rich, light and fluffy, unsurpassed even by those of Mario Batali. I dream about his gnocchi. Therefore, it was probably unfair of me to order these in the first place. While not quite up to the ethereal "Sam Standard," Vincent's gnocchi are excellent, rich and very light. The sauce hit just the right balance between creamy and spicy and was filling without being too rich.

Mom had the lasagne, which was the Americanized red-sauce version, but an excellent example, and again, spicy and more deeply flavored than one ordinarily finds (Dad had filled up on the antipasto platter and nibbled off all our plates instead of ordering a pasta).

Jesse had a white pizza, with fresh basil strips layered over the top. This is cool - Vincent had an oven built for the pizza. He started out using wood, but switched to gas, which he says gives him better consistency. He keeps the oven at 550 degrees (I got to see it - it's really cool). The pizza had a thin, bubbly crust (not Patsy's thin, but what is?) with rather good char on the bottom, and the cheese was browned perfectly on top.

Ashleigh, the gf, had the fettuccine alfredo, which she raved about, but which I um....forgot to taste.

There's a good wine selection, and the house pours are all Italian - a good sangiovese and a chianti for the reds, a pinot grigio and - I think - a verdicchio for the whites. Mom and I split a full carafe of the sangiovese, which was probably a bit much for just two of us, but neither of us was driving.

I'll definitely be back on my next trip. We were too full for the desserts, but they looked amazing.

Edited December 31, 2005 by bergerka (log)

[molto e]

A bad cold curtailed most of my planned restaurant expeditions on this trip to Phoenix, but we (mom, dad, brother, brother's gf - yes, she of the cookie clusterfuck - and me) did make it to Mom & Dad's new favorite:  Bistro di Napoli, at 5830 West Thunderbird, just past 57th Avenue.

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Thank you for the tip. We have a lack of quality Italian fare out here. I hope you get a chance to come back and try some of our best.

Molto E

[estherschindler]

We have a lack of quality Italian fare out here. I hope you get a chance to come back and try some of our best.

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What would you say are our best Italian restaurants?

I confess it's far from my expertise. I'm happy with "neighborhood" Italian places, and I don't often go to them even so.

[molto e]

Esther,

My reply was not clear. I meant come back to try some of our best restaurants in general. In terms of Italian, I have not tried anything that I would say was remarkable.

Molto E

[bergerka]

A bad cold curtailed most of my planned restaurant expeditions on this trip to Phoenix, but we (mom, dad, brother, brother's gf - yes, she of the cookie clusterfuck - and me) did make it to Mom & Dad's new favorite:  Bistro di Napoli, at 5830 West Thunderbird, just past 57th Avenue.

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Thank you for the tip. We have a lack of quality Italian fare out here. I hope you get a chance to come back and try some of our best.

Molto E

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Agreed, in general, but I grew up in Litchfield Park in the 70's and 80's, and lemme just tell you...things have improved about 200% since then.

My dad is partial to Pasta Brioni, in Scottsdale, any opinions?

[estherschindler]

My dad is partial to Pasta Brioni, in Scottsdale, any opinions?

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Oh! I've been to Pasta Brioni twice, and I enjoyed it both times. The first time was -- oh dear, back in the dot com era, so it must have been 1999 or so -- and I was impressed by the service and the quality of the food. The second time was with a group of 5 or 6 people, and to my surprise they were packed on an ordinary Tuesday night. In fact, instead of waiting for an hour (!), we ended up at their casual, sort-of-take-out outlet next door. The menu was more limited but it was still quite nice.

I keep saying I'm going to meet friends for dinner there, but I never think of it at the right time.

[molto e]

Esther,

I do eat there, but I do not find the pasta special. I have the veal milanese every time.

Molto E

[molto e]

Karen,

We have nothing here in the league of where you live. I would love to have a Lupa, L'Imperio, Alto, Babbo or the like here, but not quite yet.

Molto E

[estherschindler]

I do eat there, but I do not find the pasta special. I have the veal milanese every time.

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I'll keep that in mind.

Come to think of it, when I had the outstanding meal some years ago, it wasn't pasta -- it was a second course, probably something like the veal.

[molto e]

Come to think of it, when I had the outstanding meal some years ago, it wasn't pasta -- it was a second course, probably something like the veal.

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I want to give this Bistro di Napoli a shot, but it is not really in my neck of the woods. I do not think Karen would waste her time posting this if it were not worth a try. As for Brioni, the service there is excellent and the bar scene is a draw for them. To me it does not measure up foodwise, but obviously many people enjoy it.

Molto E

[bergerka]

Karen,

            We have nothing here in the league of where you live. I would love to have a Lupa, L'Imperio, Alto, Babbo or the like here, but not quite yet.

Molto E

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Now - Bistro di Napoli isn't, for my money, ITALIAN Italian like the ones you mention, more of a combination of some traditional Italian dishes and more Italian-American ones, but it's very good.

I think slkinsey and I will be in AZ in February - can't wait to take him there. He, of course, wants to eat at Pizzeria Bianco for every meal.

Kathleen (but my sister-in-law, also a singer and living in AZ, is Karen!)

[molto e]

I think slkinsey and I will be in AZ in February - can't wait to take him there.  He, of course, wants to eat at Pizzeria Bianco for every meal.

Kathleen (but my sister-in-law, also a singer and living in AZ, is Karen!)

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Kathleen,

My apoligies, I thought that I had read a post of yours that you signed as Karen. I hope that you and alkinsey get to try out some more of our spots in February.

Molto E