A popular Italian restaurant less than ten minutes from campus, O Sole Mio, captured my heart- and my stomach- the first time I ate there, which was, sadly, this semester. How was I missing out on such good food for the past two years?
On a Friday evening, the casual strip-mall eatery is alive with energy and high spirits, as it only can be when the promise of good food awaits. When I first walk into the restaurant with my friends, I am greeted by a homey, welcoming space, dimly lit with a warm glow, occupied by tables full of families and friends chatting and laughing happily. To my left is a glass display case featuring a number of mouthwatering desserts: thick slabs of cheesecake, delectable Italian pastries, the works. Already acknowledging my growling stomach, I make my way over to the table and prepare to feast.
Service is quick and the waiters are friendly and efficient. Shortly after being seated and having our water glasses filled, baskets of still-warm bread are delivered to the table. There are giant garlic knots, smothered presumably in garlic and butter, and pieces of soft bread topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Afterwards comes salad (have to get in something healthy, right?) with copious amounts of shredded mozzarella cheese and French dressing on the side.
The finale is the four large pizzas my friends and I have ordered: cheese, BBQ chicken, stuffed vegetables, and chicken parmigiana. The pies are so much huger than I’d expected, their circumference … astounding. I take a slice of the stuffed vegetables pizza first because the broccoli actually looks pretty appetizing, and the slice breaks in half from the sheer weight of all the toppings: olives, broccoli, peppers, spinach, you name it. Despite all the vegetables, the oozing cheese and thick pizza crust make finishing the entire slice a lengthy- and delicious- process.
Still, though, I can’t help but eye the remaining slices of BBQ chicken pizza on the other side of the table. My stomach says no but my eyes say yes. I go for it. The tender chicken, mixed with the tangy barbecue sauce and overflowing melted mozzarella, make this last slice completely worthwhile. I can’t finish it, but when I sit back in my chair with an obvious food baby, I’m satisfied.
With little to no room left for dessert, my friends and I leave the restaurant with happy stomachs. As I walk out, I know already that I’ll be returning to O Sole Mio in the near future … perhaps on many more occasions, to make up for all the other times I didn’t know about this gem of an eatery.
Gifs courtesy of Giphy.