Venuto

This is a little spot on the corner of a strip. The parking lot is a decent size, although I could see it getting crowded during peak times. The service was excellent. We had a large group and one server managed all of us politely and efficiently. It was hard to get a feel for the noise levels in the restaurant and based on feedback we got from a friend that was sitting at a nearby booth, there might be room for improvement around noise dampening between the bar area and the individual tables / booths. For starters, we shared bread, clams, mushrooms and calamari. They were all good. For my main, I had the red pepper shrimp. I had expected it to have some spice to it, but unfortunately, it was mild. However, the shrimp and pasta were both tasty. And the portion size was pretty reasonable. Some of the other dishes ordered at the table were quite large, like the lasagna. Overall, this was an enjoyable restaurant.

A hidden gem indeed. Venuto looks very unassuming from the outside, but the interior boasts a very modern, cozy and clean atmosphere. I really love the set up they went with here. A lot of floor space with enough tables to accommodate bigger parties (I assume you'd want to call ahead) and their booths are extremely comfortable. They also have a nice bar area if you're just looking for quick service. Venuto's food is excellent. I had their Linguine Di Mare with the Mussels and it blew my expectations out of the water. A slight spicy kick to the sauce but flavors are incredibly well balanced and rounded out. I got all the incredible flavors of seafood, tomato and meat melding together to create a flavor explosion on my palette. Their complimentary bread is actually really good too and the olive oil/balsamic vinegar/cheese combo for dipping is an excellent touch. Service was really fast and friendly. They have Peroni on tap. In all honestly I wasn't the biggest fan of the cocktail (some cherry based concoction that tasted a little too much like Ludin's cough drop for my comfort), but that might just be preference-based. Someone else might like it, so I can't dock points for that. Overall, I am super glad I came in to Venuto and chose this place for a last minute dinner. Not sure if I'll ever be back in the area, but if I am, Venuto will be a stopping place for sure.

The boneless beef short ribs were amazing and I would return every day of the week for this tender deliciousness that was cooked so eloquently with thoughtful seasoning to a company, the spinach and roasted potatoes. Every person in the dinner party (11 people) was pleased with my dinner and the portion size was big enough for two or to save for the next day. and if saved for the next day, it still tasted great! The entire restaurant staff worked as a cohesive team which was quite impressive compared to multiple other establishments I've been to in the area. Additionally, despite the party of eleven people, they easily prepared and served the food and drinks as a cohesive meal. I will definitely return and I highly recommend this restaurant!