I’ve been going to Spaccarelli’s Restaurant in Millwood for as long as I can remember. I recall going to their old location, a storefront next to the A&P, with my family to celebrate special birthdays and anniversaries, we would occasionally takeaway trays of food to supplement parties at my parents’ house, and we even had our wedding rehearsal dinner at their current location, around the corner from the A&P, in 2002. I think Spaccarelli’s was the Italian restaurant of choice partly for the consistently good food and partly because the owner, Tony, is Abruzzese – from the same region of Italy as my dad’s ancestors. However, since my dad passed away in 2004, I can count on one hand the number of times that I’ve eaten there. In fact, the last time may have been in 2005 when my mom treated me and my wife to a joint birthday celebration. That’s why I thought it was a great idea when my brother suggested that we go there a few weeks ago to celebrate my mom’s 69th birthday.
My wife was eager to share a pasta as an appetizer, but when my brother pointed out that half orders were available I was relieved that we wouldn’t have to compromise. I knew my wife was leaning towards Tortellini all Nonna or Penne all Vodka – neither of which are my favorite. Although, at this point I had pasta on my mind, so I opted for the Spaghetti alla Carbonara. This dish was well prepared and had a nice restraint – the bacon and onions were nicely diced and the pasta was not over sauced. In fact, the only thing that could have made this any better would have been if it was topped with a runny egg …although I understand this might not appeal to the masses. For my entrée, I went with the Saltimbocca. Through the years, this has been my go to dish at Spaccarelli’s and it was exactly how I remembered it – tender veal, quality prosciutto and a rich sauce of white wine and butter, all served over a generous portion of spinach. With the entrées they also brought out a plate of escarole and some potato croquettes (I’ve always liked Spaccarelli’s croquettes). When the dessert cart rolled around, I chose to skip the sweets, which by now shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has read any of my previous posts.
A lot of restaurants that have been around for years and have attracted a loyal patronage seem to get complacent. There can be a lack of consistency; dishes are occasionally sloppy, over sauced and/or salty, but this isn’t the case with Spaccarelli’s. I don’t necessarily know if I would say that it’s gotten better over the years, but it may have gotten more refined. Not only is the current location well-appointed and classier than the tiny, strip mall storefront, but the food has also seemed to make a similar transition. And in the decade that they’ve been at this location, they’ve continued to maintain the high standard that has made it one of the top Italian restaurants around. If you live within 10 to 15 miles of Millwood, Spaccarelli’s should be your Italian restaurant of choice.
