Italian restaurants Archives

Ricko’s Pizzeria and Italian Cuisine (Lakesite, TN)

June 14, 2017

Ricko’s Pizzeria is a pizza restaurant in Lakesite, Tennessee (Soddy-Daisy/Hixson) that serves pizza, pasta, & sandwiches & has quickly made a name for itself!

Usually, when I write about a restaurant, it’s the first time I’ve been in. That’s not the case with Ricko’s Pizzeria and Italian Cuisine, though. Ricko’s Pizzeria opened back in March and, since it’s just a couple of miles from my house, we’ve eaten there several times since they opened. I’ve mentioned plenty of times that I like to give new restaurants some time to get their flow before I write about them, though, so we decided to wait.

Ricko’s is in a spot that has been a handful of other restaurants in the 15 years that we’ve lived in this part of town, most recently occupied by Ron’s Pig Out, a barbecue restaurant. The interior is pretty basic. You order at the counter and they call your number out when it’s ready. If you’ve ever dined at a Rafael’s in the area, the menu will be familiar to you – it’s very similar to the menu at Rafael’s, right down to the buy-one-get-one-free pizzas (excluding the personal pan pizzas). It is my understanding that the family that owns it was previously connected to a Rafael’s restaurant…not sure how.

Anyway, we placed our order immediately when we walked in and our food was out in about ten minutes. Philip wanted to try the garlic knots, so we got an order of those. The garlic knots were a little crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. I prefer them just a little bit softer on the outside than these were, and would have liked for them to have a little more garlic. Still pretty good, though. They were served with a basic marinara sauce for dipping.

On this visit I decided to have the Italian cheese steak with mushrooms for $6.45. Sandwiches are served with fries and a pickle spear. The Italian cheese steak is tender sliced steak with melted provolone on a crusty Italian roll. You can order it with peppers and onions or with mushrooms (I am sure they would do both, but I haven’t asked). I am pretty sure there is a little mayonnaise under the steak. I really like this sandwich. It’s flipping huge (I ate half that night and the other half for lunch a couple of days later) and very flavorful. The only complaint that I have is that I am fairly certain the mushrooms are canned, and I am just not down with canned mushrooms. They are not a deal-breaker, though. The fries are basic frozen fries – pretty good but not anything that sets them apart.

Philip was in the mood for a pizza so he went with the personal pan pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms ($5.25 for a two-topping pizza). The pizza here has always been good when we’ve ordered it. The crust is not too thick or too thin and they don’t over-sauce it (something that drives me crazy). Again, canned mushrooms…but not a deal-breaker. We definitely choose Ricko’s over the national chain that’s just a little further down the street. It’s very convenient to call it in and have Philip stop on his way home from work.

Ricko’s Pizzeria is a welcome addition to the Lakesite/Middle Valley area. They serve sandwiches, salads, pasta, and other entrees in addition to pizza, and the staff is always very friendly. We’ve never had a long wait here, even on days that they are busy (which they often are). It’s nothing fancy, but it’s good. Judging by the number of cars we usually see in the parking lot at dinner time and after church on Sundays, I think that Ricko’s Pizzeria will be around for a while.

Ricko’s Pizzeria and Italian Cuisine is located at 8615 Hixson Pike, Hixson, Tennessee, 37343. They are open Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. You can call Ricko’s at (423) 682-8050. Ricko’s does not have a website, but you can find more information on their Facebook page.

BiBa’s Italian Restaurant

November 30, 2016

BiBa’s Italian Restaurant in Hixson, Tennessee offers a variety of tasty Italian favorites at fair prices – including $10 off your meal on your birthday.

I have a little obsession with Italian food going on right now. Has anyone noticed? Starting with Boccaccia this summer, then Hummingbird Pastaria a few weeks ago, and now BiBa’s. BiBa’s was an early Chattavore stop, so you can read my first post about them if you keep scrolling, but I thought I’d update with some fresh pictures.

Philip and I went to BiBa’s for dinner last Monday night. There wasn’t much of a wait when we arrived at about 5:30, though the restaurant was filling up by the time we left a little under an hour later. Our server, Brooke, was quick to get our drinks to us and take our order, because it didn’t take us long to decide what to order. She quickly brought our rolls, then our salads. BiBa’s rolls are definitely the stuff of legend…fluffy knots coated with garlicky oil and parmesan cheese. These seemed a little smaller than usual, but they were as tasty as ever. Carry breath mints when you plan to eat these rolls. I love the Caesar salad at BiBa’s. The lettuce is always fresh and cut nicely, and the creamy housemade Caesar dressing is so tasty. They put plenty of cheese in it, too (though this one could have used a few more croutons).

I’ll go ahead and apologize for the fact that I ordered the exact same thing on this visit as I did on my last visit. I am basically incapable of ordering anything else when I go to BiBa’s. I mean, I’ve had other things, and I’ve liked them all…but tortellini Gabrielle just lures me in almost every time. What’s not to love about cheese tortellini coated in a thick layer of cream sauce and mozzarella, with just a touch of tomato sauce? I am sure that there is nothing authentic about it, and certainly nothing healthy about it, but when you need some comfort food, this provides all the fat and carbs that you need. I realize that the picture leaves a lot to be desired…I do think that they should work on their plating skills.

Philip decided to go for the chicken Francesca, which has emerged as his favorite meal on the BiBa’s menu. Lightly breaded chicken breast, sautéed then tossed in a lemony sauce and served over angel hair (or spaghetti or fettuccine, your choice) is hard to beat. It’s a generous portion, as I’ve found with pretty much all I’ve ever ordered here. We both had our leftovers for lunch the next day (and Brooke even brought us a second basket of rolls, which we packed right on up in our to-go boxes). Like mine, Philip’s could have used a little “flair”, like a sprinkle of parsley, to make the picture pop, and maybe a vegetable side. It was tasty and well-cooked, though.

Brooke was a great server. She was extremely attentive, keeping our drinks filled and clearing our dishes quickly. The prices are pretty average – $32.67 pre-tip (there’s a bit of an upcharge for Caesar salad versus house salad) – especially considering that we got two meals out of this. Would I call it the best Italian food I’ve ever eaten? No, nor the most authentic. However, it tastes good and it’s close to my house. It’s definitely a good dinner option when you’re eating in Hixson.

BiBa’s is located at 5918 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343. They are open Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. You can call BiBa’s at (423) 843-0001. You can find more information on BiBa’s Facebook page or on their website.

Original Post

Did you know that BiBa’s in Hixson offers $10.00 off on your birthday dinner? Well, technically, it’s a “free dinner” up to $10….so let’s just say it’s $10 off.

Anyway, that’s how we ended up there. It was the birthday of one of our friends, and she decided that she preferred to go to BiBa’s rather than the, um, other Italian restaurant in Chattanooga that offers a free birthday dinner. We were invited to go along, and since a BiBa’s blog post had been planned anyway and we had a coupon, we took the offer.

We arrived at 4:45 p.m., and let me tell you, that’s the time to go! If you go on a Friday or Saturday night or Sunday after church, be prepared to wait. Weeknights aren’t so bad….but when we arrived there was only one other table with guests seated. Our server, Callen (who also happens to go to our church), quickly brought out our drinks. We arrived a few minutes before our friends, and that gave me time to talk myself out of the specials-chicken ponza (chicken with mushrooms, garlic, and artichokes served with pasta with lemon butter sauce) or spinach ravioli (with broccoli and carrots and alfredo sauce) and decide instead on my favorite menu item, tortellini Gabrielle (cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce and a touch of marinara). Philip decided on shrimp scampi. Meals at BiBa’s come with a house salad, but we each added a Caesar for $1.50 extra. Our friends decided on chicken parmesan and fettucine alfredo.

The best, and I do mean the best thing about BiBa’s is the rolls. I mean, the other stuff is good….but the rolls-wow. Housemade knots brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with parmesan. Very delicious. And they are very forthcoming with the rolls, which is always a plus. At some restaurants you have to fight over who is going to get the last roll in the basket. Philip and I usually end up cutting it in half (bread is ~~our~~ my weakness) but at BiBa’s they always bring out two for every person at the table and happily refresh your basket when you are “getting low.”

I do believe these rolls will be in Heaven!

The Caesar salad at BiBa’s is also fantastic. The dressing is housemade. It’s very different from the Caesar dressing that I make at home, mainly because it is creamy, but you can definitely taste the different components that make up a good Caesar dressing…the garlic, the salty brininess from the anchovy (no, it doesn’t taste fishy) or the Worchestershire sauce (which is what I use at home-much easier to keep around). Their croutons are not soggy but not so hard that you need to get dental work after eating them. I don’t know about the parmesan that they use, and that’s my only issue. I should have asked the server but didn’t think to. Of course, you know that I am a parm snob and buy blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano at the grocery store that I then grate over everything. The parm served here is definitely the powdery kind….but mixed into everything I can’t tell if it is the fresh powdery kind or if it’s the bulk jarred kind that I remember so well scooping into shakers when I worked at Chuck E. Cheese’s. It’s fine, though. Everything tastes really good, so I’m not too worried about it.

Yummy Caesar salad!

Another advantage of arriving at your dinner destination at 4:45 p.m. is that your food comes out very quickly. Philip and I were starving, so we pretty much Hoovered our salads, and as we set the bowls over to the edge of the table, Callen arrived with the entrees. Now, I love, love, love cheese tortellini, and I also love alfredo sauce. Marinara sauce=not my favorite, but I really love how the small amount that they use to top the tortellini Gabrielle mixes with the alfredo, which is made on the premises. It’s one of the best alfredos I’ve ever had…nice and thick and not too salty. They don’t say this on the menu, but there is also mozzarella on top of the pasta. Yum! Unfortunately, the tortellini isn’t made on site (I asked on a previous visit). I guess you can’t have everything.

Tortellini Gabrielle: Cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce and a touch of marinara (and mozzarella!). That’s the marinara in the middle-not oil (which is what it looks like)!

Shrimp scampi is a dish that I love to make at home-shrimp sauteed in a garlic butter and white wine sauce served over linguini. Philip’s pasta was very fresh with a good balance of garlic and white wine flavor. I tried to get more out of him, but he doesn’t write this blog and I guess he’s not as much with the words about the food as I am. Ha. Anyway, he said it was extremely tasty and he would definitely order again. I didn’t want to grill our friends about their meal, but I did take pictures for you to see. By the way, the portions are huge, so you will probably take some home with you-like we did. You should know, though, that when you reheat your leftovers….you will see all the oil from the sauce. If you are like me, you will drain it off. Tasty, but not lowfat. Fine by me.

Shrimp Scampi: shrimp sauteed in a garlic butter and wine sauce over a bed of linguini

Fettucine Alfredo

Chicken Parmesan

BiBa’s also serves pizza, which I have never had….but they look very good. And they are served on a lovely silver cake pedestal, so the presentation is very nice. The ambiance is very nice in the restaurant, with dark colors, nice paint and pictures, a wood bar (separated by a wall from the dining room) and bottles of wine on the table to gently “suggest” that customers buy a bottle. In my opinion, BiBa’s is much better than the national pasta chains around Chattanooga. We don’t go there often, but then we don’t go to many restaurants (Chick-fil-A aside) very often. Give BiBa’s a try!

BiBa’s is located at 5918 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343, in front of Publix. They can be reached at 423-843-0001. Check out their website or their Facebook page.

Hummingbird Pastaria (Signal Mountain)

November 9, 2016

Hummingbird Pastaria, formerly known just as Pastaria, is serving amazing fresh Italian food in a familiar location on Signal Mountain.

So, last weekend I gave Philip three choices for our late afternoon lunch. Two were in Ooltewah…and one was on Signal Mountain. He ended up choosing the Signal Mountain option, so we headed up the mountain to check out Hummingbird Pastaria.

Hummingbird Pastaria has been around for a couple of years, but you may remember it as Nino’s Pastaria…or just Pastaria, which is how most people know it. The restaurant has been around for years, but changed hands a little while back. Since the change in ownership, they’ve upped their menu game, serving handmade pastas, handmade cheeses, house made breads…I’m not sure why it took us so long to get back in.

We arrived around 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon and the place was fairly empty…a couple of large parties occupied the dining room but other than that there was no one in there. We requested a seat on the patio and our server brought us some water and homemade focaccia with cannellini bean puree. The foccaccia was fresh with a very tender crumb, the cannellini bean puree flavorful with garlic and herbs. We couldn’t resist the bruschetta ($7), though, and thank goodness for that. With crunchy grilled bread, melted mozzarella, and a blend of fresh tomatoes, garlic, julienned basil, and olive oil, this was the best bruschetta I’ve ever had. I was still talking about it the next day. It was so fresh and so tasty – surprisingly for late October tomatoes. I was already sold before I got through the appetizer.

I was stuck between the bolognese – meat sauce with tomatoes, cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and house made pappardelle (wide ribbons of pasta) for $13 or the funghi bianchi – mushrooms, cream, spinach, truffle oil, and housemade fettucine for $12. When our server described the funghi bianchi as kind of an amped up fettucine Alfredo, I was sold. If you guys haven’t figured this out, I’m a sucker for a good cream sauce. The handmade pasta was absolutely amazing – the texture of fresh pasta is just so different from dried. The cream sauce was thick and rich, and the truffle oil provided the perfect finishing layer of flavor and a complement to the sauteed mushrooms. There was just enough spinach to add a little color to the dish, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano crowned the pasta beautifully.

It didn’t take Philip long to settle on the polpette – pork meatballs with marinara, pecorino, and housemade spaghetti ($10). I like to add a little ground pork to my meatballs, but I’ve never made them with all pork…now I know that I need to. The meatballs were so tender, with a lighter flavor than a meatball made with all beef or a mixture of ground meats. The sauce had a great flavor, with the freshness of tomatoes set off by garlic and herbs. The pecorino (a sheep’s milk cheese similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano) added a delicious tanginess to the dish, and the spaghetti was just the perfect classic pasta for this dish. He also got a Caesar salad ($6) – romaine lettuce with croutons, Spanish white anchovy, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The salad was fresh and crunchy, with a classic (i.e. not creamy Caesar dressing), lemon wedges on the side, and an actual anchovy fillet on the side. If you are squeamish about such things (we are not) you may want to ask them to leave that off. It was a very tasty salad.

Was this our most economical meal in recent history? At $42.06 pre-tip (Philip also ordered a beer)…no. But I have to say, I would pay it again for a meal that makes us swoon like this one did. Like I said, I was still talking about this meal the next day. It was absolutely amazing. The service was good – friendly and attentive – and the atmosphere is simple but nice. It’s definitely a staple on Signal Mountain.

If you’re looking for a delicious Italian meal, Hummingbird Pastaria is the place to look!

Hummingbird Pastaria is located at 720 Mississippi Avenue, Signal Mountain, Tennessee, 37377. They are open Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can call Hummingbird Pastaria at 423-886-1900. For more information, you can check out Hummingbird Pastaria’s website or follow Hummingbird Pastaria on Facebook.

Puleo’s Grille (Ooltewah, TN)

August 31, 2016

Puleo’s Grille is a small, regional chain (5 restaurants) based in Knoxville, TN. Their newest location is located in Ooltewah, TN.

A few months ago, Philip came home from his job at Sigler’s Craft Beer & Cigars and handed me a business card. The card was from a guy who worked at Puleo’s Grille who had come into Sigler’s looking for advice about what craft beers to include on their beer list the new location they were getting ready to open off of Exit 11 in Ooltewah. Philip had mentioned that his wife was a food blogger and the guy gave him his card.

Honestly, I thought up to that point that Puleo’s Grille was a large chain. I ate there once in Knoxville several years ago and didn’t realize that it was a very small, regional chain. The Chattanooga location is only their fifth location. They opened at the beginning of the summer, but we generally try to give places a few months to hit their stride before we go in. This past weekend, we decided that we’d given Puleo’s Grille long enough and headed to check it out.

We arrived at Puleo’s Grille around 4 p.m. on Saturday, so it was between the lunch and dinner rush and we were seated immediately. It took a few minutes for our server, Victoria, to check in with us, but I got the impression that they were having a quick server meeting in the back, as all the servers seemed to come into the dining area at once.

Victoria was very attentive after that. She got our waters (Philip also ordered a Schneider Weisse beer) and suggested the fried green tomatoes. We had been considering the fried green tomatoes and the fried pickles, and Victoria recommended the fried pickles, which are a Puleo’s Grille specialty. The fried green tomatoes are served with stone ground cheese grits and country and tasso gravy. The tomatoes themselves had a light cornmeal coating. The grits were very thick (as you can see from the fact that they stayed in the “scoop” shape) but that worked well with the tomatoes, as I was initially concerned that the grits might make the fried green tomatoes soggy. The tasso gravy was a little spicy and smoky, and the country gravy cream with just a hint of sausage. I thought it all worked really well together.

I immediately saw the fish tacos and initially thought I would order those, then I saw the fish and chips and I was torn. Then I saw the chicken penne pasta (grilled chicken, penne pasta, baby spinach, tomatoes, and mushrooms in a Parmesan cream sauce) and I was really torn. I asked Victoria for her recommendation between the fish and chips and the chicken penne pasta and she told me that those were her two favorite dishes, but ultimately she would choose the fish and chips.

The fish was not your typical beer battered fish that you would expect with fish and chips. The coating was more of a light breading with the slightly pebbly texture of cornmeal. The inside of the fish was very tender and moist, and the garlicky dill caper remoulade was a nice complement. I also liked the Napa cabbage slaw, which also contained shredded carrots, diced green peppers, fried noodles, and sunflower seeds in a light vinaigrette. The fries were pretty average restaurant fries – pretty sure they were frozen. Good not great.

Philip was craving a burger, so he settled on the fairly pedestrian bacon cheeseburger, hickory grilled and topped with Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion, and also served with fries. His comment was that he probably should have gotten something else – not because the burger was bad but because it was just a basic burger, nothing special, and he probably should have gotten something more interesting for blog purposes.

By the time we left around 5:00, the crowd was picking up. In its location right by Interstate 75 and in a town that’s still relatively short on restaurants will definitely keep their business up as long as they continue to serve decent food. I didn’t find that what they were serving was really all that innovative or interesting, but it definitely tasted good and I guess that’s ultimately all that matters. Our food total was $34.93 ($9.99 for the cheeseburger, $12.99 for the fish & chips, and $8.99 for the fried green tomatoes) so right in the same ballpark as similar restaurants – chain or not. Victoria was a great server and we enjoyed talking to her, and the atmosphere is nice. We will go back.

Check out Puleo’s Grille and let me know what you think.

Puleo’s Grille is located at 6108 Artesian Circle, Chattanooga, TN (just off of exit 11). If you go to the first light past their location, you will see a sign to turn in (there’s a turn-in closer to the restaurant but it’s a little inconveniently located). They are open Sunday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. You can call them at 423-803-2271. You can check out their website, puleosgrille.com, like Puleo’s Grille Chattanooga – Ooltewah on Facebook, or follow @puleosgrille on Twitter.

Toscano Italian Grill

August 10, 2016

Toscano Italian Grill is an unassuming Italian restaurant located in a strip mall in Chattanooga, TN with huge portions and surprisingly tasty food.

It has been a while – probably a couple of years – but I posted on Facebook asking readers about their favorite pizza in Chattanooga and was surprised by one of the answers: Toscano Italian Grill. I actually had to ask where it was located, because I had never heard of it. As soon as I was told that it was located in the strip mall on Lee Highway, I knew exactly where it was, but I’m rarely in that area so it took me ages to get out there.

Philip and I arrived at Toscano Italian Grill at around 4:00 on a Saturday afternoon and the place was empty. We were greeted by Haili as soon as we walked in the door and she led us to the seating area and let us choose our own table. Toscano looked basically like every strip mall restaurant I’ve ever been in: clean but basic. I will be honest, I didn’t expect much because I have had very bad experiences with trip mall Italian restaurants, pre-blog (those places are long defunct).

Haili filled our waters while we perused the menu. I had read several Yelp reviews that mentioned the Italian nachos at Toscano Italian Grill, so we decided to order those for $7.99. They were made from pita chips topped with Alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese, chunks of grilled chicken, and pickled jalapeño slices. They were pretty tasty, though honestly, if I were making them at home I would probably leave off the chicken or cut it into smaller chunks. I loved the concept and may have to recreate it for the blog. Haili told us that the Toscano twisters (pizza rolls stuffed with mozzarella and a topping of your choice for $6.99) and the garlic knots ($5.99) are also fantastic.

Our entrees came with a Toscano salad (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and shredded carrots) or Caesar salad and garlic bread. We both decided on the Caesar salad, which was pretty basic: chopped romaine, shredded Parmesan, pre-fab croutons, and Caesar dressing on the side. It was good but there was nothing spectacular or “special” about it. The garlic bread was pretty much along the same lines: buttery crusty bread with garlic seasoning.

I was torn between the New York style pizza (a small – 10 inch – pizza starts at $7.99) and the baked penne. I ultimately decided that I was in the mood for pasta, so I decided on the baked penne with a creamy pink sauce, meat sauce, meatballs, or sausage, and cheese for $10.99 (I ordered mine with meatballs). I actually thought it was very, very good. The sauce was a nice balance between creamy and tomato-y, the pasta cooked to al dente, and the blanket of mozzarella….well, I love mozzarella, and there was plenty in every bite. The meatballs were good too, tender and well cooked, but honestly, I would have been just as happy with this as a meatless dish. This portion was large enough for a whole family and we brought home enough leftovers to feed both of us for lunch the next day.

Philip decided to go way out of his comfort zone and order the fruit de mari ($13.99): shrimp, calamari, chopped clams, and baby scallops cooked in a spicy marinara sauce served on top of spaghetti noodles. He typically doesn’t care for calamari and is sort of indifferent about clams, but he wanted to try something different. He said that on its own, the calamari was chewy and not great (because it’s calamari) but when he ate it with the pasta and sauce that it all paired together really well and he actually enjoyed it. One note: there was a ton of oil in this, which made it a little heavier than you might expect a seafood and marinara based dish to be.

It was before dinner time when we were there, but while we were dining a few more tables filled up and we heard Haili taking multiple orders on the phone as well. Toscano Italian Grill seems to be doing well. Like I said, I wasn’t expecting much, and I was pleasantly surprised. Was it Alleia or even Tony’s? Of course not. Was it perfectly tasty Italian food? Sure. I’m going to have to run by here on a work day and grab a small pizza for lunch so I can try it out (if I do, I’ll be sure to post an update).

If you’re in the Lee Highway area and looking for somewhere to eat, Toscano Italian Grill is worth a try!

Toscano Italian Grill is located at 6219 Lee Highway, Suite 8, Chattanooga, TN. They are open daily 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. You can call them at (423) 805-3888. You can find Toscano Italian Grill on Facebook and check out their website to find their menu and coupons.