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(April 9, 2004)
As many of you know, my roots are firmly planted in New England. I grew
up in a Connecticut neighborhood that was predominantly Irish and Italian.
And my formative food years were spent at the likes of Pizza icons like
Pepe's and Sally's on New Haven's legendary Wooster Street.
It is normal to pine for one's lost food treasures
when one moves to a part of the country where those are not readily
available. And pine we did when we first came to Texas. Where was the
Baked Ziti, the pizza, the sweet Italian sausage and peppers, the lasagna?
And then, when all seemed lost, we found Reale's.
Bob & Gino Reale have a family-style Italian
restaurant on Highway 183 not far from Anderson Mill. They are one of
the few restaurants that have not been devastated by the construction
madness in that area. Why? Because they've got a loyal following of
customers who just love this place. Hard to blame those customers.
I love the Pizza at Reale's. I first tried the pepperoni
and it was wonderful. The crust was perfect and it reminded me of vintage
East coast pizza. Then I gravitated to the sausage and mushrooms with
onions. Another slam-dunk on the taste front. Crispy crust with that
instant rush on the first bite. Their pizza has consistently been among
the top three in Austin. You must try it.
And I am equally enamored of Reale's pasta dishes.
The Baked Ziti has not been dumbed down, as so many Texas Italian restaurants
attempt to do. The blend of ricotta, Romano, and mozzarella cheeses
blends beautifully with the rich marinara sauce. And the ziti is al
dente. I also adore the Eggplant Parmesan. The flavor and the texture
of this dish are quite compelling. The eggplant has a wonderful flavor
and is not overcooked, as can often happen with this dish. Another favorite
is the Sausage and Peppers plate. This is vintage. Sautéed sweet
Italian sausage with onions and roasted red and green bell peppers.
Served with fettuccine noodles but for my taste, just give me a good
chunk of Italian bread to eat with it. Mangia! And don't forget to try
the classic Italian comfort food, lasagna! Reale's nails it with classic
East Coast flavors infused into the delightful layers of pasta.
Their meat and seafood dishes are also faithful
to their heritage and quite good. Try the grilled Pork Chops topped
with onions and mushrooms. This is a dish for the ages. The Shrimp Scampi
is equally good; not heavy with garlic and with perfect complements
of butter, olive oil, and white wine.
And I absolutely adore the Chicken Cacciatore. They sautee chicken tenders
with onions and mushrooms with a lovely marinara sauce. The flavors
are authentic and immediately satisfying.
Reale's is open for lunch and dinner and is at 13450
Highway 183. Come say hi to Gino or Bob and become a part of the Reale
family. They won the 183 battle where many lesser restaurants have floundered.
And there's a reason. The food is reasonably priced, consistent, and
flat out good.
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