"Discovered" Tuscany Italian Restaurant

Although it's been in business for about three years, I made my first visit to the "Tuscany Italian Restaurant" over the weekend, and will definitely return to this small culinary gem located in the South End. Nestled within a strip mall that includes a Chinese buffet, tobacco outlet and cellular phone store, "Tuscany" is located near Outer Loop and New Cut Rd (look for the Wal-Mart -- 165 Outer Loop), and might be among the last places I expected to find one of the nicer Italian dining experiences in the area.
The restaurant itself is somewhat non-descript, but clean and spacious, with ample booth and table seating. You can visit their website (http://www.tuscanyitalian.com) for a complete rundown of their menu, but it was rather extensive and seemed to offer a little something for everyone.

We opened with an order of Caprese (Mozzarella over tomato slices, drizzled with olive oil and sprinked with basil) -- light and delicious. My entree was a classic Chicken Fettucine Alfredo (w/sliced grilled chicken breast) and was as good as any I've had elsewhere, with a smooth, creamy Alfredo sauce (and not too heavy). My wife had the Veal "Zingara", that featured olive oil, white wine, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh garllic. One of their menu features is to offer chicken or veal in a variety of preparations. Dessert was coffee and a shared cannoli.

I understand that "Tuscany's" owner/chef is Mexican, but lived and studied cooking extensively in Italy, and it certainly shows.

"Tuscany" has a second location at 7895 Dixie Highway, but I hope they expand to the East End, as well (or even Oldham County) ... I think they would give some of the Italian "chains" a run for their money.

For a more detailed review of "Tuscany", check out the "List of Restaurants" link on Hot Bytes.

Great little place. Well worth seeking out if you are in the area.

My wife and I ate there with several friends about a year ago and agree it's a bit of a hidden gem in that part of town. Our only disappointment was with the beer selection and the fact our server pretty much drew a blank when asked about the beer list and wines for my life. Since we went for supper instead of lunch that was pretty much 25% - 33% of our concern with the dining experience right there. The food was spot on! Have they worked on the beverage situation?

My wife and I ate there with several friends about a year ago and agree it's a bit of a hidden gem in that part of town. Our only disappointment was with the beer selection and the fact our server pretty much drew a blank when asked about the beer list and wines for my life. Since we went for supper instead of lunch that was pretty much 25% - 33% of our concern with the dining experience right there. The food was spot on! Have they worked on the beverage situation?

Lonnie....Recalling the menu, it appears that "Tuscany" still has a relatively abbreviated beer/wine selection...despite the quality of the food, I question whether knowledgable wine drinkers would find very much to intrigue them.