Maniacs on the Road - Bonus Edition
This last Saturday, we visited
Pellegrini Ristorante in Greeley, Colorado. We were celebrating the holidays with some friends of ours and they all raved about this place. So while this isn't a official MenuManiacs review, we did want to let you know our thoughts about this Italian restaurant.
Pellegrini's is tucked away in the Cottonwood Square shopping center on 23rd Avenue and 16th Street. The owner, Carlo, is from the old country of Italy and is passionate about bringing authentic Italian flavors to the thriving metropolis of Greeley. The restaurant is a moderately sized building, and it can accommodate both large and small parties. We found it to be nicely appointed and it smelled like food! You would be surprised how many restaurants we visit that smell like nothing. It is a very strange phenomenon. However, Pellegrini's is like going to a friend's house for dinner and experiencing the wonderful aroma meeting you at the door. As usual, we were the last to arrive and the rest of our party was already seated. Our server, Mandy, greeted us right away, let us know the specials, and took our drink order first thing.
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| Raspberry Italian Soda |
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We were fortunate enough to speak to Carlo, before placing our food order. He suggested his favorite dishes and explained that most of pasta and all the sausage is made fresh in house every day. We ordered his suggested dishes and ordered some additional classic Italian dishes and specialty items. There were ten of us so we were able to try a variety of food. Because of the number of dishes, we will focus on our favorites.
It is SO hard to find good gnocchi and Pellegrini's did a really good job. The pasta was soft and creamy with a vibrant tomato cream sauce. Boscaiola, a pappardelle pasta sauteed in white cream sauce with Cremini mushrooms, home made sausage and tomatoes was one of the stand out dishes. This was one of Carlo's recommendations and he certainly didn't steer us wrong. The fresh sausage and handmade pasta really gave this dish a truly unique taste. Rounding out our favorites, was a classic lasagna. The noodles were thin and delicate between a layering of rich bolognese sauce and gooey cheeses. Nothing fussy here, just classic deliciousness. There were a lots of other dishes warranting an honorable mention including Ravioli, Salmon e Pesto Genovese, Risotto, Pomodoro, and grilled chicken; however, the three mentioned previously were the dishes the table enjoyed the most.
On to dessert! We certainly could not leave without sampling the desserts. I think it is our mutual sweet tooths (sweet teeth?) but dessert was SO good! The highlight dessert, recommended by our amazing server Mandy, was the Tartufo al Cioccolato. Served as a single serve
ice cream bombe, this is a hazelnut lovers delight with dark chocolate gelato, zabaione cream, and caramelized hazelnut rolled in cocoa powder. The Torta di Limoncello was another favorite. A light lemony sponge cake layered with fluffy mascarpone filling. It was like a slice of summertime on a cold, wintery day. We also indulged in Spumone, Torta di Cioccolato, and Cannoli Classici. All were good and worth the calories we added to our holiday tally.
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| Limoncello Martini |
We had a lovely time with lovely people. Pellegrini's is most certainly a cut above the rest. Be sure to check them out when you find yourselves in the Greeley area or as a new place to celebrate the new year.
Because of their delicious food, fabulous staff, and a wonderful limoncello and basil martini, we award Pellegrini Ristorante Italiano Bar a fork!
Pellegrini's is tucked away in the Cottonwood Square shopping center on 23rd Avenue and 16th Street. The owner, Carlo, is from the old country of Italy and is passionate about bringing authentic Italian flavors to the thriving metropolis of Greeley. The restaurant is a moderately sized building, and it can accommodate both large and small parties. We found it to be nicely appointed and it smelled like food! You would be surprised how many restaurants we visit that smell like nothing. It is a very strange phenomenon. However, Pellegrini's is like going to a friend's house for dinner and experiencing the wonderful aroma meeting you at the door. As usual, we were the last to arrive and the rest of our party was already seated. Our server, Mandy, greeted us right away, let us know the specials, and took our drink order first thing. 
It is SO hard to find good gnocchi and Pellegrini's did a really good job. The pasta was soft and creamy with a vibrant tomato cream sauce. Boscaiola, a pappardelle pasta sauteed in white cream sauce with Cremini mushrooms, home made sausage and tomatoes was one of the stand out dishes. This was one of Carlo's recommendations and he certainly didn't steer us wrong. The fresh sausage and handmade pasta really gave this dish a truly unique taste. Rounding out our favorites, was a classic lasagna. The noodles were thin and delicate between a layering of rich bolognese sauce and gooey cheeses. Nothing fussy here, just classic deliciousness. There were a lots of other dishes warranting an honorable mention including Ravioli, Salmon e Pesto Genovese, Risotto, Pomodoro, and grilled chicken; however, the three mentioned previously were the dishes the table enjoyed the most.
Great place, wonderful food with modern ambiance and comfortable seating with plenty of room. It is now probably one of the best venues Los Angeles in my list. Perfect food, great decor and vibrant atmosphere.
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