The owners of Il Bacio Pizzeria & Trattoria have fashioned their pizza and pasta place after the kind of Italian-American restaurants so common around New York and other Northeastern cities. And even though it's located in the suburban-like Lindbergh Plaza redevelopment (across the parking lot from a Home Depot), it has the neighborly feel of a mom and pop joint. The sprawling menu features a multitude of red sauce crowd pleasers — from spaghetti and meatballs and manicotti to lasagna and pizza — but also lots of meat and seafood entrees and daily specials.
CASUAL COMFORT
II Bacio translates to "the kiss" in Italian. And though the atmosphere isn't exactly romantic, it is surprisingly warm and casually comfortable. Brick walls surround the pizza oven and deli counter in front. The main dining room is defined by tall glass windows, giving it an airy, light-filled aura. It opens onto a pleasant patio, where families with children flock in the early evening. Service is friendly and efficient, down to promptly delivering boxes for leftovers.
PASTA, PIZZA, MANGIA
The array of appetizer, pasta and entree choices is almost dizzying. At least a half-dozen chicken or veal dishes; shrimp, fish or squid in multiple preparations; ravioli, gnocchi, fettuccine, and on and on — all served in huge portions. It's hard to imagine how the kitchen can keep up with everything and ensure any kind of quality. Indeed, during a recent visit, a big bowl of spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, cherry peppers, sausage and arugula proved to be much less than the sum of its parts. The ingredients arrived suspended in strands of limp, watery pasta, which prevented the dish from melding to create any kind of coherent flavor. A rollatini appetizer special was far better, and almost a meal in itself, with thin slices of grilled eggplant wrapped around creamy ricotta filling, topped with fresh tomato sauce and excellent melted mozzarella cheese.
A different take on sauce and cheese, the thin crust pizza is probably the best bet here. The margherita pizza combines a light plum tomato sauce and delightfully milky homemade bocconcini with drizzles of basil pesto. Other interesting specialty pies include wild mushroom with pesto, grilled veggie, lasagna topped with ricotta and Bolognese, and pies topped with either Caesar or tricolor salad. The lunch menu, served until 4 p.m. daily, features sandwiches on house-made focaccia bread, with fries or a side salad.
GELATO BAR
Il Bacio has a small selection of reasonably priced wines and a few beers. But the gelato bar is much more intoxicating. Tasting is encouraged, as is mixing flavors. Among recent offerings, a combo of dark chocolate and nutty pistachio made a cool, silky delight.
• Hours: Lunch 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays; dinner 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, noon-9:30 p.m. Sundays
• Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express
• Prices: Appetizers, soups and salads, $2.95-$1.95; pasta and entrees, $8.95-$15.95; pizza, $4.95-$15.95
• Reservations: Yes
• Recommended dishes: Pizza; gelato
• Parking: Lot
• Wheelchair access: Yes
• Smoking policy: No smoking
• Noise level: Moderate
• Takeout: Yes
• Web site: www.ilbacioatl.com
• Verdict: A friendly, family red sauce joint, but the food may be hit-or-miss.
