Reviews

You’ll Feel Welcome at VIA Italian Table
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
By Christine E. Thompson
October 28, 2007

With its impressive façade, VIA Italian Table is easy to find.

The entrance and valet parking are not directly on Shrewsbury Street, but at the back of the huge brick building.

Coming into the restaurant, my friend and I were immediately greeted by the hostess and escorted through the very large dining room to an oval table with comfortable banquette seating.

The interior is done in neutral colors, with light tan walls and drapes, dark polished wood tables with black chairs, deep brown banquettes and terracotta tiles on the floor.

The main dining room is expansive with high ceilings and tall windows looking out onto a terrace set for al fresco dining under attractive awnings. In spite of its size and noise level, the restaurant feels warm and welcoming.

On two recent visits to VIA, we had excellent service, first from Gregg Belisle and Katie Paige, and on the second occasion from Liz Slink and Tara Tols. All were friendly and helpful without being intrusive and handled the demands of several parties with ease.

The menu presents some traditional Italian and Italian-American dishes — antipasto, caprese salad, eggplant parmesan, and lasagna; at the same time, there were a few surprises, like the fried olives (at $4, a great little snack to go with drinks before dinner: salty and tangy, with a light crunchy coating) or the asparagus, pancetta and parmesan tart ($8).

I ordered the braised short ribs on pappardelle ($21), a wide ribbon pasta. The flavor was deep and complex, as if it had been simmered a long time with vegetables and wine. The beef was fall-off-the-bone tender, no knife needed, and the pasta, cooked slightly al dente, stood up well to the thick sauce.

My friend ordered the seared sea scallops ($19). They were beautifully presented, piled loosely in a crisp crêpe shell, drizzled with pesto cream and truffle oil and accompanied by roasted asparagus. The tender scallops held just the right touch of sauce to accent their sweet, fresh flavor.

On a second visit I tried the spit- roasted pork chop ($21). Rubbed with spices and touched with a little aged balsamic, the seared crust sealed in a moist, slightly pink center. Delicious.

One of the best dishes from the VIA menu was a side order of brussels sprouts with pancetta ($6): golden brown caramelized edges on the sprouts, a generous handful of crispy pancetta, perhaps deglazed with a bit of wine or stock to produce a little juice in the bottom of the bowl.

Entrée portions are sized for hearty appetites. Count on sharing or taking some home for the next day’s lunch. The pork chop is enormous, 18 ounces. Likewise, the serving of brussels sprouts is definitely enough for two or three, especially when added to an already large entrée.

The house salad, insalata misto ($5 alone or $3 if ordered with an entrée), was a blend of iceberg and a spring lettuce mix, tossed with a light house vinaigrette of olive oil and white wine vinegar. It did not receive the same careful attention as the rest of the meal; it was served in a warm bowl (probably just out of the dishwasher) and included a few wilted, brown-edged leaves.

Along with a full and varied wine list with several selections available by the glass, the menu also includes a list of special cocktails with Italian names: The Uffizi (Via’s cosmo), The Vespa (strawberry basil martini), Montefalco’s Revenge (pear cilantro margarita). The Vignamaggio Chianti Classico ($9), slightly tannic with a deep fruity, earthy flavor, went well with the braised short ribs.

Out of seven dessert items, four included cheese. The tiramisu ($8) was heavy, more like a cheesecake; it was the most disappointing dish we tried. The gelato and sorbetto selection offers a lighter ending; all are made in house on an imported gelato machine. Ms. Paige was very enthusiastic telling us about the machine and how the gelato was made. Diners are offered a selection of three scoops ($8) out of seven available flavors. We chose pistachio, vanilla and peach; informed that they were out of the peach sorbetto, we followed her suggestion of pineapple. It was an excellent finishing touch.

There was more to the evening than great food and conversation. Seated at a corner table with a view directly into the open kitchen, we watched Chef Mark Hawley, using a pair of tongs as a baton, direct a team of cooks. It was fun to watch.

The cost of our first dinner for two, including one glass of wine, two appetizers, two entrées, the vegetable side dish and two desserts with coffee, was $94.24.

Whether out for a casual meal or an elegant celebration, VIA will make you feel welcome.

Christine E. Thompson, a former chef and caterer, is the associate dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Johnson & Wales University in Providence