"That's the way they serve it in Italy"

Hi there, all you fellow foodies. I hope you have the chance to do some home cooking during the holidays. What are the other options out there for really good food?

This blog really owes its existence to the pretenses of some of the restauranteurs of the Brazos Valley. So I'm thinking of one of my earliest dining out experiences in College Station, with my boyfriend, at Cenare's. It was about 2003 or 2004.

It seemed to be a nice neighborhood restaurant. We drove there, and arrived next to TCBY and the Century Twenty One offices. We were initially optimistic. The inside seemed strip-mall dowdy, but the restaurant had enough business that we weren't too worried.

The menu prices seemed proud. But, we expected to pay the price of admission for a good meal in a desperate locale.

The regular waitron was pleasant enough, and didn't seem to hover around the table in the way that I can't stand. My companion ordered lasagne. I ordered spaghetti, just to be safe. When it arrived, it was hot, but it practically cracked in your mouth, it was so crisp. I set it aside, hoping to order something else instead later.

Meanwhile, the owner of the restaurant was making the rounds to the various guests seated at the tables in the restaurant. When she arrived at our table, looking semi-glamorous, she asked me, Are you enjoying your pasta? I replied that the pasta was under-done. The lady replied, "That's the way they serve it in Italy." I replied that I preferred it al dente. She left our table without looking behind.

Arrivederci, Cenari! We hardly knew ye! We've chosen the veggie dishes at the Chinese place nearby over the crispy spaghetti, and the local 'tood, every time since then.

-- Fierce foodie