Thursday, January 7. The Cold Comes. Biagio's. I broadcast from home today, in an attempt to bulldog the Marys into having dinner with me at Biagio's. That's a newish Italian trattoria where we had a pretty fair meal a few weeks ago. One good enough to be worth a full review after one or two more samplings.
Mary Leigh refused to leave the comfort of her snug nest on the sofa, where she was watching videos and doing homework. Can't blame her. The cold is unavoidable tonight, and it's windy, too. And the restaurant is in a strip mall, where a single set of doors is all that stands between the chill and the warmth. When someone opens the door, the blast enters too. The hostess at first seated us at a table next to the big strip-mall windows, where the cold came cascading down. We moved to a corner far away. Not a problem: the place was nearly empty.
As we did last time, we ordered a pizza at the outset, so it would reach the table by the time we were ready to order the rest of the meal. Mary Ann was thinking mushrooms and Italian sausage; so it was. As we observed last time, the six-inch measurement the menu uses is that of the radius, not the diameter. That's pizza enough for two people. It disappeared quickly. The kitchen has pizza down pat.
Mary Ann ate much more heartily than I've seen her do in some time, what with her flushing diet and all. She had a brick of lasagna--a small brick. In fact, she ate all of it, which should not be possible for restaurant lasagna, regardless of how hungry you are. I didn't even get a bite if it.
But I was busy with chicken marsala with pasta bordelaise. This was also a more modest portion than standard, but like MA I was happy for it. There is no question that restaurants--especially those of the Italian persuasion--serve too much food. This was just right.
I skipped dessert and we headed back home so I could tighten our home's defenses against tonight's assault of arctic air. I hear it will drop well into the teens tonight.
Biagio's Pizzeria. Mandeville: 318 Dalwill Dr. 985-674-3009. Pizza. Pasta. Italian.
