ROMAN RISTORANTEPrescott's Best Neighborhood ItalianIf you haven't been to the Roman Ristorante recently - you haven't been at all. Originally the Roman Deli - this neighborhood gem is now on its third owner - and this one got it right. The restaurant is right on Miller Valley Road in the corner of an aging retail/office complex. For years people in  the area considered it "their" go-to restaurant
- the one you went to on the spur of the moment. It was consistently good, was run by friendly people and it was a charming little place. Unfortunately, a few years back, it fell on hard times. The place was still charming, but the food was lack luster and inconsistent at that. In Prescott, a restauranteer only needs to screw up once with a customer and they will never come back - and they will tell all of their friends too. If you were one of those people that vowed to never come back - I urge you to reconsider! Since it was Saturday night I thought it would be prudent to call for a reservation at Roman Ristorante - and it was a good thing that I did! April, the charming young lady that took my call, confirmed that they did, indeed, take reservations and in fact they encouraged them. Three minutes before our appointed time of 7:15 my wife and I walked in the door. The hostess greeted us warmly and informed us, with a big smile, that we were early. Come on only three minutes! I said - well April got the last laugh as a table for two finished their meal and headed for the door - the table was quickly bussed, a fresh table cloth was spread, the silverware and glasses placed and Viola! Our table was ready at 7:15 on the dot. - impressive for a busy restaurant. The Roman Ristorante is a charming, comfortable, homey, romantic little place that really sets the mood for a nice meal without a lot of fuss. Three walls are done in a Venetian plaster faux finish the forth wall - directly  opposite the door is accented in a deep red
glazed finish. There is a beam line that acts as a natural divider - it is decorated with Trompe L'Oeil grape vines - a prerequisite for an Italian restaurant don't you think? We ordered a bottle of Poggionotte Nero de Avola 2003($26) - obviously an Italian wine, from a limited but well thought out wine list that listed about a 1/2 dozen Whites and a 1/2 dozen Reds. There is a sparkling Procecco, a White Zinfandel and 4 beers, including Stella Artois, listed too. The most expensive wine on the list was $28.00. Most of the wines are available by the glass ($6-$7) - overall the wines listed match well with the food and they are a great value. John, our server, was a real breath of fresh air. Unlike so many young waiters, he was unobtrusive, attentive and extremely efficient - everything a server should be. The Menu at Roman Ristorante is exactly what you would expect at an Italian restaurant - Pasta Puttanesca, Eggplant, Spaghetti, Chicken done 8 different ways, Veal, beef and Seafood with Marsala, Piccata, Parmesan - you get the idea - all with pasta of one variety or another. The wife ordered Zesty Pesto Chicken Pasta ($15.99) with creole seasoned chicken, mushrooms, capers, artichoke hearts, pesto and red pepper  flakes over penne pasta - and topped
with sun-dried tomatoes and green onions. A different twist on
traditional Italian!I ordered Chicken Scaloppini Pasta ($15.99) made with sauteed chicken, onions, garlic and mushrooms with a Marsala wine sauce over linguine and topped with tomatoes. While we waited for our order John delivered our garlic bread - a full quarter of a full size baguette. Not to much garlic, Parmesan cheese - toasted just right - Very good. My Minestrone soup followed in short order - it was good - not great - it could have been a little more spicy for my taste. My wife's house salad was good too, with fresh ingredients and a creamy Italian dressing ( Raspberry vinegrette was the other choice). Both of our pastas were outstanding! The Scaloppini was expertly prepared. The pasta was al dente, the sauce subtle - not overpowering - an excellent dish.  The Zesty Pesto Chicken pasta was the star of the evening. A creation of Chef Zack (he should showcase more of his unique creations on the menu!) this is a killer pasta. Bold flavor - but one ingredient doesn't overpower the others, spicy - but not so much that it takes away from the dish - outstanding. When my wife starts writing down ingedients from the menu so she can try it at home - I know we have a winner! Try it you'll love it! By the way, our wine went very well with both dishes - enhancing the wine and the meal - just as it is supposed too. We finished up with the home made spumoni and a creme brulee'. Yummy - Ok the spumoni was not really spumoni - there were no layers of ice cream and no fruit - it was a really good homemade pistachio ice cream. Nice bits of pistachio in a creamy ice cream - very good. The creme brulee' at Roman Ristorante was as good as any I have had in a restaurant - anywhere. Good sugar crust on top with a smooth creamy and flavorful custard. - Excellent. Roman Ristorante is a perfect place for a romantic meal - without all the hassle of a fancy restaurant. Bring your girlfriend - I can almost guarantee a hit! If you like to eat early and get a great deal - try their Sunset Dinner Special - choose your entree' from a select list and a glass of wine or beer for $17 or $30 per couple. Hard to beat! Can't make the Sunset Special but still want a deal? You can get a deal you won't believe at Roman Ristorante. Of course, if you are just in the mood for Italian and you don't want to go to a lot of effort - this is the place - just be sure to call for reservations.
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