Fill ‘er up

a retrofitted gas station plays host to a fine Italian restaurant
East Side Weekend, January 7, 1998
Susan McHugh

We almost drove right out of the parking lot. After all, this was an old gas station complete with “restrooms in the rear, lady” that’s been retrofitted as an Italian restaurant. But we were hungry and the place looked packed. As we walked through the tiny entry and waited near the even tinier hostess station our doubts continued. The wait would be 45 minutes outside – in our own car. The hostess would come to find us when a table opened up. Welcome to Vincenzo’s in Springdale .

No doubt our doubts showed. As we walked out wondering whether to stay or chance a chain restaurant up the street, several people assured us the wait and the surroundings were worth it.

They were right. Very right. A best-kept secret of the locals, Vincenzo’s is a classic Italian restaurant with all the variety and richness of true fine dining. The simple menu is divided into antipasti, pasta, chicken and fresh seafood offerings. Supplemented by an extensive list of blackboard specials, no one leaves Vincenzo’s wanting.

Each dish is expertly prepared – quite surprising when you consider the size of the kitchen. The entire establishment only seats 44.

Not one to pass up recommendation, I chose the dish that that lady in the parking lot swooned over. Pollo da Vincenzo ($12.95) teams tender breasts of chicken with artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus and mozzarella in a fragrant white wine sauce. Served with penne pasta and a respectable house salad (choose the parmesan-pepper dressing, it’s great), it makes you realize how much more there is to Italian cuisine after spaghetti and meat balls. Also recommended was a nightly special that paired a chicken breast with four different types of homemade ravioli. Priced at just $13.95 it was the best buy on the menu. The ravioli included one filed with white cheese, one with seafood, one with spinach and one with ground veal. Dressed with a rich sauce of gorgonzola cheese, it won raves from every table who tried it.

One entrée that also received top ratings from the parking lot was Pollo All’Aceto ($13.95), a sautéed chicken breast topped with prosciutto, a mild Italian ham, and provolone cheese over penne pasta with balsamic vinegar/mushroom sauce.

Other notable entrees include Fettuccine con Calamari ($9.95), sautéed squid in marinara sauce – choose mild, hot or very hot; Farfalle con Salnone e Gamberetti ($12.95), salmon, rock shrimp, asparagus and diced tomatoes in a light alfredo sauce; and Tortellini Panna Pommodoro ($8.95), meat-filled pasta topped with mushrooms and mozzarella in a light tomato cream sauce. For vegetarians, try either the Fettuccine Alfredo or Marinara ($8.95) or Capellini con Verdura ($8.95), a simple dish of fresh vegetables in olive oil and garlic herb sauce.

The blackboard specials are priced similarly to the menu offerings with fresh seafood at higher prices. These can be prepared picata (with lemon), blackened, or grilled with herbs, lemon and olive oil.

Even though this is a close-knit family owned restaurant, service at Vincenzo’s is a classic and refined. It’s obvious, however, that many of the diners are regulars who share a rapport with the staff. It doesn’t take long to develop that friendly give-and-take, either. After our waiter delivered a wedge of triple-layered chocolate mousse cake to me, he snidely remarked, “I assume extra forks won’t be necessary?” He was right. It was wonderful. Enjoy!