Putting on the Ritz

I have enjoyed various events at the re-opened Paradise Theatre but I have yet to try its fancy Italian restaurant. I was going to check out Osteria Rialto on Groundhog Day but discovered that Chef Saha was still in business. Though it would be nice that my first experience here included soaking in its 30s retro decor, I decided that I would support it during the pandemic shut-down by ordering pick-up. So on Friday, I ordered some focaccia ($7) and a plate of rigatoni, asparagus al limone ($18).

It was good that all takeout containers were paper-based but the over-sized bag could have held another 5. The bread appetizer was a huge portion. It was soft and chewy, with a good crust, and nicely salted. But it was also oozing oil which seemed overkill as the order came with high quality Alhema olive oil for dipping. I disliked it causing greasy fingers and being too rich for cleaning up the pasta sauce. It was weirdly too much of a good thing.

As for that pasta, it was delicious. Freshly made and perfectly al dente, it was tossed in creamy butter and carried a hint of citrus. The green chili sauce wasn't overpowering. The asparagus was likewise blanched with care: cooked but still crisp. In fact, someone made the effort of putting some of it inside the pasta. One green piece peeking out from a rigatoni could be luck but not a handful of them. This was an excellent entrée compared to the unexpected disappointment of Mediterrania and the mystifyingly popular Sugo. I look forward to the re-opening of this restaurant.