Finally! We can go out to eat again.
Nancy and I don’t eat out that often, but about every week or 10 days, we like to let someone else do the cooking and dish washing and enjoy an evening out.
During the lock down, we never did do a take-out order, other than fast food. I didn’t want to eat warmed-up food out of Styrofoam boxes, and if I was going to eat at home, I’d just as soon cook myself.
Our first venture took us to Bonefish, one of our favorite go-to restaurants. We had a great experience and it’s been two weeks now and we don’t have the virus.
Last weekend was a combination Father’s Day/Nancy’s Birthday, so we selected our favorite Italian Restaurant – Carmello’s Ristorante Italiano – and paid them a visit. As usual, it was delicious.
I ordered Sautéed Cod with a Crabmeat Crust. Yummm! Nancy had Clams and Linguine, also a Yummm. The bread and house butter were homemade and the salad crisp and delightful.
Carmello’s has been in Charlottesville for over 25 years – the last 6 in the Twentyninth Place Center, tucked away beside Home Goods. It is worth the trouble to track it down.
Carmello’s specializes in northern Italian cuisine. Northern Italian differs from the southern way of cooking by offering rich cream sauces, polenta and stuffed meats. The south favors tangy tomato sauces, olive oil and fresh, steamed seafood. Both are excellent when prepared correctly and our food certainly was. Chef George of Carmello’s is a graduate of Le Cordon Blue and oversees an ever changing menu of great Italian dishes.
Carmello’s address is 400 29th Place Court. The phone number is 434-977-5200. Reservations are encouraged, but not required. Visit them at www.carmellosrestaurant.com for more information. The restaurant is closed on Monday’s.
If you like authentic Italian cuisine, Carmello’s is your kind of place.