If you appreciate authenticity when it comes to ethnic foods, you may like this week's review.
I ventured up Highway 89 into North Salt Lake to try a place called Il Ponte. That's "The Bridge" in Italian.
It seems they're only serving dinner for the time being. But with a menu that changes on a weekly basis, things should stay interesting.
Il Ponte serves a traditional dinner in three courses: antipasti, prima piatti and secondi piatti.
I'm told all of the items on Il Ponte's antipasti are classic appetizer fare in Italy. The full antipasti is an interesting assortment, and there are a few flavors unfamiliar to me. There were toasts topped with marinated peppers, tomato slices topped with fresh mozzarella and basil, a crunchy potato salad, tuna-stuffed eggs, cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto and veal slices covered in a creamed tuna sauce and capers.
My favorites on that plate were the cantaloupe and prosciutto, the marinated peppers and the tomato with mozzarella.
We don't often experience fresh mozzarella around here. But if you've tried it you know there's nothing like it. It's creamier, lighter and generally less salty than what you get at the deli.
My husband and I shared the homemade manicotti from the prima piatti. These were two tender stuffed tubes of pasta topped with cheese and stuffed with a hearty, smooth meat mixture that resembled a pt. It was an interesting dish, and the flavors were curiously addicting.
Other dishes from the first course this week are rigatoni with vegetables and penne with meatballs and cheese.
We also shared the stufato di verdure, which is a deep-dish stew of vegetables, potatoes, chicken, beef and sausage. The sausage is what makes the overall flavor unique. But it's a satisfying, filling dish that reminds me of the comfort of home.
Besides the stufato, there are two others in the second course to choose from: salmon with white sauce, potatoes and carrots, and spicy veal Sorrento style with cauliflower.
Il Ponte has a spaghetti plate for the kids, which comes with a meat sauce or tossed in butter or oil.
One treat I look for when I eat Italian is San Pellegrino Aranciata, the mildly carbonated orange juice drink that is popular in Italy. I was happy to find Il Ponte serves it the way it's best — cold with no ice.
As for other treats, or dolci, we had the chocolate layer cake, the creme caramel and the strawberry layer cake. All seemed ready-made, but as that goes, these were better than most . . . though the strawberries were past their prime.
Il Ponte is a casual place that feels homey and festive. The dining room service is a bit limited, with one server and one person busing, so you have to be patient. But if you can take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere and your company, it's not a big deal. If I were trying to get dinner in before a show, though, I would definitely tell the staff.
I am interested to try this great little mama-in-the-kitchen spot again another week and see what's on the menu. It's the sort of place I'll go when I'm not in a hurry and I'm in the mood for quality, authentic food and an atmosphere that's not at all fussy.
Most dishes cost about $9, children's spaghetti is $2.50, desserts are $1.50-2.50.
Il Ponte
*** 1/2 (out of five)
Hours: Monday-Saturday 4:30-9 p.m.
Location: 15 South Highway 89, No. 2, North Salt Lake; 936-0233
Payment: checks, major credit cards
E-MAIL: stephanie@desnews.com