Comensoli's

     Just a short walk from campus, Comensoli’s sits on W. Main waiting to serve up what they call “homestyle Italian cooking” to students and families.

     The dimly lit restaurant allows for seating in the main dining room or on a patio that can be opened up for the summer months. The front wall of the dining room is covered with huge windows that allow a view of the street through open blinds allowing outside light to enter the room. Black tablecloths and black carpet go right along with the lowered lighting. A large red brick wall on one side of the room is home to the few framed pieces of art in the dining room. On the opposite wall, a stained glass flower highlights a brick panel above the host’s stand. No music plays inside Comensoli’s, but the small dining room allows for the dull noise of conversation to cloud the room. The tables in the restaurant are no more than five feet away from their closest neighbor, which makes maneuvering the dining room a tad awkward, but overall not an issue. The small dining room begins to fill up quickly with a dinner crowd around 6:30 and guests may wish to call ahead and reserve a table. As the restaurant becomes more full, the noise level increases, but never reaches a level to disrupt conversation. Depending on where a guest is seated in the restaurant, they can enjoy an obstructed view of the kitchen behind the bar where waiters and waitresses file in and out. This closeness of the kitchen heightens the dining experience by allowing guests easier access to smells that tease them as they wait for their food and the occasional sizzle of the grill to get their appetite going. 

     The wait staff possess a strong knowledge of the menu and provide good overall attention to their guests. They are personable and more than willing to engage patrons in conversation. The number of staff present seemed adequate to tend to a full house and there always seems to be a member of the staff moving from table to table ensuring water glasses never reach empty. 

     Served with six pieces of toasted crostini, the feta bruschetta, an appetizer, comes out in a delicious warm ball of Roma tomatoes, red onion, basil, garlic and feta cheese. The six pieces of toasted crostini seem to be a few too little as there is much more of the feta bruschetta than the crostini can accommodate. The appetizer is probably only good to share between two people, as even with more crostini, the feta bruschetta was not a large serving. The small serving is a trivial issue though because the tomato dominant dish is absolutely wonderful. The combination of red onion and garlic gives the dish a slight spice that is fantastic and the ball the feta bruschetta was served in crumbled perfectly without losing ingredients to be placed atop the toasted crostini.

     Shrimp, ocean clams, tomatoes, scallions and garlic served in fettuccine with a white wine cream sauce make up the frutta di mare. The shrimp is a little tough and guests looking for a dish loaded with shrimp and clam should choose a different option. Although there is not a ton of ocean clam in the dish, the pieces there are combine beautifully with the fettuccine and white wine sauce for a combination of delicious flavors. The white wine sauce is the best part of the dish. It provides a great, thick flavor to everything it comes in contact with. The bread served with entrees is a tad bland, but dipped in the white wine sauce, it is delicious. In fact, the bread smothered in wine sauce is a better combination than the pasta with the sauce. By the end of the meal, guests may find themselves pushing the fettuccine aside to easier access the sauce with their bread. The serving size was not unbearable, but large enough. Guests should leave the table full and satisfied. 

     Comensoli’s allows for an affordable dining experience even with a college budget. The appetizers on the menu are all right around $6 with none of them reaching over $10. All of their entrees range from about $11 to $16. Along with various pasta dishes, the menu has “dinner specialities” consisting of a few chicken dishes, veal, salmon and steak. On any given night, Comensoli’s provides a special not found on the menu. They also offer guests the opportunity to make their own pasta dish by choosing the type of pasta, sauce and meat. Contained in the dining room, Comensoli’s has a small bar that could seat five or six people. Their drink menu has 38 different martinis as well as a small selection of beer. They have a variety of bottles of both red and white wine that average around $30 per bottle. For guests looking for a little more quality though, the restaurant offers a few bottles that cost upward of $100 per bottle. Comensoli’s does not offer a dessert menu.

     Despite the toughness of the shrimp and too few pieces of toasted crostini, Comensoli’s gives guests nothing to truly complain about. They provide a hearty, delicious meal at affordable prices and employ a friendly wait staff with complete knowledge of the menu. The atmosphere is comfortable and friendly to families and intimate enough for a date. Comensoli’s is not top of the line dining. But, for someone not seeking the best of the best, Comensoli’s is a great place to dine.