We’ve just moved to Morrisville, N.C., and are starting to get out and sample the local restaurant scene. As such, we’ll likely be reviewing quite a few in the near future. In this article we’ll take a look at Stellino’s Italiano, which we ate dinner at last week after a long day of unpacking, and an incredibly hectic week. Long distance moves can be quite stressful, and we needed a relaxing dinner experience to unwind a bit.
Stellino’s is located in the Parkside Town Commons in Cary, N.C. It sits in a freestanding building in the complex, right near the bowling alley and theater. The décor inside is soothing and comfortable, exactly what we were looking for on this occasion. It was a rainy evening, and the restaurant was not crowded. We sat at a four top and settled in.
The menu has a good selection of options, but is not the twenty page list of every Italian staple you get at some old school
Soothing atmosphere
Italian eateries. The wine list is focused on Italian wines, and also not very extensive. There are good choices from around the country, as well as a premium list (which does run a bit on the pricey side, to be honest). But there are more modest choices, several under $40, as well a $15 corkage fee. As with other restaurants we’ve been to, if you’re there with a group, and buy a bottle off of their menu, they will waive the corkage on one of yours. We’ve always thought that to be a fair policy.
We started dinner with two bruschette, which you can mix and match in a group of four. We ordered two of the cannellini bean and two of the blue crab. There was a large mound of cannellini beans, with red onion, rosemary, garlic and pecorino
Rigatoni Bolognese
romano cheese. This was very flavorful with a great texture. The blue crab bruschetta was very simple, and the sweet tomato sauce was layered with blue crab. Some garlic and chile provided some additional flavors, but the clean play of the briny crab against the tomato sauce really made the dish. These were both delicious, and leave us waiting to try the other two varieties.
Our entrees were the Spaghetti a la Frutti di mare, the classic pasta and seafood dish which included tiny clams in the shell,
Spaghetti
mussels, calamari, shrimp and cherry tomatoes tossed with a light, white sauce with perfectly cooked pasta. This was delicious and light in style. Cheri had the Rigatoni Bolognese, another classic dish. This had Chianti braised meat with tomato sauce and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. Equally well done, the portion was large and we brought half for lunch the next day.
We did not have dessert, but you will find some very traditional favorites here, including Cannoli, Tiramisu and a Sicilian style cheesecake.
We had a very enjoyable experience at Stellino’s. Our wallet is out for a future visit. It’s a good place to bring family and enjoy a relaxing, classic, Italian meal.
The particulars:
Stellino’s Italiano
1150 Parkside Main Street Cary, NC, 27519,
(919) 694-5761 info@stellinositaliano.com
Website: https://www.stellinositaliano.com/
A votre santé!
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