(July 29, 2005)

This is the era of fast casual in American dining. And the currency is time. For those who want quality but don't have two hours two linger over wine and multiple courses or for those who want to stop and get something tasty on the way home, fast casual is the answer. And so we introduce you to Pronto Italiano at 3620 Highway 620 just West of Lakeway.

The key to fast casual is that it's not fast food: big difference. The fare is much more complex and has some substance. PF Chang's lower end eaterie Pei Wei is a good example. Ponto Italiano is the byproduct off of the popular Hill County Pasta House. So you see the culinary house is in good order.

The appetizers are fun and tasty and have just a little bit of kick to them. I like that. The Insalata Wraps: lettuce with crumbled sausage, eggplant, roasted bell peppers and garlic are quite good and fairly guiltless if you're counting carbs. The Spinach and Artichoke Dip I've tried twice: first time it was rich and thick and full of flavor. The second time it was on the thin side and was not as good. The Calamari, I like it Buffalo style with a creamy gorgonzola dressing, has been crisp and excellent. Highly recommended. And for a pleasant taste surprise, try the Tuscan Tacos. I like the veggie version with mushrooms, olives, roasted bell peppers, caramelized onions, and goat cheese. The neat thing about these dishes is that they also travel well, which is a key point for fast casual restaurant.

The entrees follow the time honored Italian tradition of simplicity and freshness. I love the pasta dishes and the pizzas. The Hill Country Signature Pasta Dishes are creative and very tasty. I love the Cajun with its spicy and really well done New Orleans cream sauce, red bell peppers, mushrooms, sausage, and penne pasta. Very cool dish. The Tequilla is also very intriguing. The red pepper tequila sauce, artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, and jalapeno fettuccine provide a highly palatable and appealing mixture. You will love it. And pizza snob that I am, I like the pizzas here. The Sweet Italian Sausage Mozarella Cheese and Marinara has a nice charred flavor with the sweet kick from the sausage. The crust is decent and the slices seems to keep disappearing. We also like the Hill Country Goat Cheese. The balance of the goat cheese and olive oil and spinach is just perfect on this and the sun-dried tomatoes, green olives and bell peppers complete the circle of taste. Again, a nice crust.

And a cute and tasty idea are their Pizzadillas. I love the smoked chicken wrapped in folded pizza crust with pesto, bacon, provolone cheese and Roma tomato.
So if you're in a hurry and good food matters to you, then Pronto Italiano is indeed the answer you're looking for. 3620 Highway 620 West of Lakeway near Home Depot.

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