Why are so many different versions of Italian dishes found in
restaurants today? Maybe because those who dish it out take it personally —
creating recipes with a faithfully individual touch. Dino’s Italian fare is no
different. Dino’s is as unique as its owners — Rudy, Mario, and Dino
Grisanti. Plus, Dino’s has been in existence in Memphis for over 25 years, as
loyal to the community as it is to the cuisine.
Dino’s has the feel of an old-time diner, from its swinging doors
to its seat-yourself atmosphere. With two dining rooms to choose from, both
seating approximately 40 each, there’s plenty of space for a party of two or a
large family.
For starters, we ordered the toasted ravioli and the mozzarella
sticks. The ravioli pillows were tasty and stuffed with warm spinach, garlic,
and Parmesan, instead of the traditional ricotta cheese, beef, or Italian
sausage. A simple tomato meat sauce flavored with an abundance of garlic
accompanied the ravioli. The mozzarella sticks were lightly breaded and
accompanied alla marinara. (Alla marinara refers to a simply prepared,
“sailor style” tomato sauce served with herbs.) Dino’s sauce had an
interesting twist, featuring large chunks of celery and onion in addition to
the tomatoes, garlic, and thyme.
Dino’s menu offers many homemade Italian favorites, including
ravioli, chicken Parmesan, spaghetti tossed with garlic butter, marinara, or
meat sauce, lasagna, and fettuccini Alfredo. The entrées come with a
house Italian salad, though you can opt for the tossed salad. The house salad
contains iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, green olives, black olives, sliced banana
peppers, celery, and diced Italian salami and is covered with a tangy
vinaigrette (usually a combination of oil, salt, pepper, mustard, and herbs).
The salad was fresh and tasty. The tanginess of the vinaigrette enhanced the
flavors of the salami and the vegetables.
Our first entrée, spaghetti and meatballs, was plentiful,
though the pasta was overcooked. Pasta is preferably served al dente or cooked
only until firm, not soft or overdone. Two large, fragrant meatballs, heavily
flavored with garlic, are served in a traditional red sauce. (If you are a big
eater, I would suggest ordering an additional side of meatballs.) The red
sauce was hearty and flavored with hints of oregano, onion, thyme, salt, and
black pepper.
LANDRIGAN
A distinctly different entrée but one full of flavor was the
fettuccini Alfredo topped with slices of grilled chicken breast. The
traditional bleached, wide pasta noodles intermingled with broad spinach
noodles and both came al dente. An Alfredo sauce incorporating heavy cream,
garlic, Parmesan cheese, and butter bound the pastas, which were topped with
pieces of grilled chicken. The delicate aroma of the cream, grilled chicken,
cheese, and garlic tantalized the senses. Now that’s amore.
The veal Parmesan, however, proved to be our favorite. Thin
slices of veal cutlets, pounded flat and dredged through egg and breadcrumbs
then sautéed on both sides until golden brown, were placed adjacent to
a bed of spaghetti with meat sauce. The veal had its own covering of marinara
tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and was so tender you could slice it with a
fork — no knife necessary. I would recommend this dish to anyone who is a fan
of veal Parmesan; it’s one of the best I’ve eaten.
One surprise at Dino’s is their version of Italian bread, which
is served in thick slices (like Texas toast), heavily buttered and grilled.
Patrons devour it even though it is not the traditional bread companion found
at other Italian restaurants.
Although the chefs at Dino’s prepare all the desserts, shame on
them for not having any Italian desserts on the menu. Where is the tiramisu,
cannoli, and spumoni? We ordered the key lime pie, New York-style cheesecake,
carrot cake, and pecan pie. The thin slice of tangy key lime pie laid the
foundation for star-shaped dollops of whipped cream. And while the light corn
syrup and egg mixture capped by toasted pecans of the pecan pie melted in your
mouth, the sinfully dense and rich cheesecake was a little too sweet. The
carrot cake’s raisins, cloves, cinnamon, and walnuts were nestled between
layers of lightly applied cream cheese frosting.
Dino’s Grill is located at 645 N. McLean Blvd. and is open
Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Beer is offered but there is no full bar available. Dino’s does permit patrons
to bring their own wine.
food notes
Fast Food
For those of you in a rush at lunchtime, Cafe Olé wants
your business. The restaurant is offering “A Power Lunch Beyond Your
Expectations.” Just make your reservation (requires a credit card
number), pre-order from Cafe Olé’s lunch menu, and then show up. Cafe
Olé manager Deloris Boyce guarantees that your food will be served
within10 minutes of the reservation time.
Boyce says that response to the deal has been slow, despite the
offer being on the table — literally, there’s a card announcing the lunch on
each table — for over a month. “No more than two” V.I.P. lunches
have been served. Boyce says that most do not want to give out a credit card
number over the phone. In addition, she says that there has not been as much
advertisement for the offer as she might like. Still, Cafe Olé will
continue its V.I.P. lunches. “We’re going to keep with it,” Boyce
says. “If it works, it works.” You can reserve a table Monday
through Friday during lunch hours by calling 274-1504.
— Chris Przybyszewski
Risky Business
First impression of Yellow Fever Mesquite Smoked Pepper Mustard
Sauce: horror, thoughts of certain death. First taste: delicious!
The maker of the sauce, Feverish Foods, is a one-man operation
that’s been in business for about two years. Jeff McGovern had been concocting
the very tasty and unique stuff for about three years, but in 1999, he began
marketing it.
But what’s up with that off-putting name? “I just thought of
it,” says McGovern. “It’s kind of in bad taste, but it tastes good.
The mosquitoes carried the fever and the mesquite-smoked yellow
habañero peppers carry the flavor.” Okay.
McGovern says Yellow Fever is selling well. He attributes that
success to the fact that it’s very unusual, versatile, and there’s nothing
else like it.
What’s in the future for Feverish Foods? A small-pox sauce?
“No, no, no, no … no more diseases,” says McGovern, “but I’m
thinking about doing a Jamaican jerk paste and a hot sauce.”
You can purchase Yellow Fever at Cheffie’s Market, Miss
Cordelia’s in Harbor Town, and some area grocery stores. For info, call 758-
9661.
— Jeremy Spencer
The Great Outdoors
Forget for a second the acts playing at the brand-new Live at the
Garden outdoors-concert series at the Botanic Garden — Isaac Hayes, Kallen
Esperian, and the Robert Cray Band, among them — to focus on the food.
Simply, this series is no ordinary corndog-and-turkey-leg affair. While taking
in the music, patrons can head straight to the wine bar and then chow down on
food offered by vendors such as Sekisui, Corky’s, and Automatic Slim’s (or
bring their own picnics).
And then there’s the Encore Club Lounge. Located in the garden’s
Hardin Hall, the club will have a bar and fancy finger food (Chez Philippe has
signed on) and a staff so full that even the bathroom will be manned. Designer
William R. Eubanks is in charge of atmosphere, providing a different lounge-y
setting for each concert. But most important of all, since the series occurs
when it is barbarically hot (June-September), there will be air
conditioning.
The Encore Club Lounge will cost you, though. Starting price of
the four levels of membership — Bravo, Orchestra, Maestro, Impresario — is
$5,000.
Live at the Garden kicks off with Isaac Hayes on June 15th. For
more information, call 685-1566.
— Susan Ellis