Welcome to the Louisville Restaurants Forum, a civil place for the intelligent discussion of the local restaurant scene and just about any other topic related to food and drink in and around Louisville.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:19 am

Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

LEO's Eats with Robin Garr

The pizza margherita at Milantoni might be a little more inviting in fresh tomato season, but it covers the basics.
Image

Once upon a time, within living memory for many of us, Italian dining meant hearty, red-sauced pasta, garlic bread, maybe a little lasagna, and fake ivy on the ceiling.

Then, just like that, back in the ‘70s, Italian went upscale. Before we knew it we were all gaga about what we called Northern Italian cuisine, with nary a drop of marinara in sight.

But in our hearts we know we still crave the comforting old-school family-style Italian-American fare, don’t we? If you’re suddenly craving some ravioli or chicken parm – and pizza of course – then here’s my advice: Head for Milantoni Italian Restaurant and mangia, mangia, mangia!

It’s not hard to get into Milantoni, but you have to keep your eyes open. Head south on Hurstbourne - you can’t get across the median barrier from the northbound side. Cross under I-64, past the first off-ramp, and quickly, before you reach the second off-ramp, hook right through a service station to Milantoni’s side door.

The building was once a fast-food eatery. But when you step inside now and see a forest of plastic ivy draped over white latticework, and tables clad in cheerful red-and-white checkered tablecloths, you’ll know you’ve found Italian the way Italian used to be.

The extensive menu covers a broad range of traditional family-Italian dishes. ...

Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/milan ... ne-italian

You'll also find this review in LEO Weekly's Food & Drink section today.
http://www.leoweekly.com/category/food-drink/

Milantoni Italian Restaurant
1600 S. Hurstbourne Parkway
742-8210
http://milantoni.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/Milantoni
(Another location: 1008 Commerce Blvd., Bardstown, Ky, (502) 331-6160.)

Robin Garr’s rating: 78 points

Noise level: A pleasant but not deafening buzz didn’t interfere with our group’s dinner conversation or our lunch for two. (Average sound level was 77dB, the typical sound level inside a moving car, with peaks to 82dB, the sound of loud singing.)

Accessibility: Entrance doors on the side of the former fast-food building are heavy and hard to open, but once inside, dining room and rest rooms appear accessible to wheelchair users.
User avatar
User

Alexis Rich

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

148

Joined

Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:24 pm

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Alexis Rich » Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:50 am

Going to have to fact check you here and dispute the claim that Milantoni formerly housed Erika's German restaurant. Erika's was up the street at 9301 Hurstbourne Park Blvd, right next to the gun store. I think before Milantoni moved in, there was a Mexican place there. Before that, it was Wendy's.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:27 am

Thanks, Erika! I don't doubt you, although I sure thought I remembered Erika's being in that funny little spot between the two exit ramps that split coming off I-64 East to Hurstbourne South - and you had to take the first one to get there. But they say the memory is the first to go! :mrgreen:
no avatar
User

James Natsis

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1055

Joined

Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:34 pm

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by James Natsis » Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:03 am

Erika German.jpg
Erika German.jpg (18.58 KiB) Viewed 4291 times
James J. Natsis
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Wed Jun 05, 2019 11:05 am

Okay, so there is more between those two ramps than I remembered. Thanks, everyone! I'll edit the originals.
no avatar
User

James Natsis

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

1055

Joined

Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:34 pm

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by James Natsis » Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:15 pm

Robin Garr wrote:Okay, so there is more between those two ramps than I remembered. Thanks, everyone! I'll edit the originals.



So, its been revealed that you're only human, Robin. That's not so bad. You still know a thing or two about food.
James J. Natsis
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Wed Jun 05, 2019 1:01 pm

:oops:
User avatar
User

Jay M.

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

797

Joined

Mon Apr 09, 2007 10:09 pm

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Jay M. » Wed Jun 05, 2019 9:32 pm

Sorry, but can’t help notice the points ( 78). That’s in the realm of the former Nancy’s and means, in your review realm: “terrible, stay away”.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:30 pm

Nah, not really, Jay. It's the rough equivalent of a CJ 2 1/2 stars. Perfectly all right, just not really top of the line. The pizza didn't rank that high on my wow-o-meter, a non-standard margherita with chunks of unripe tomato, tiny bits of basil, and a flood of inexpensive mozz. Marinara was sweet and bland one visit, better but still pretty standard on another. Good, not great, and that merits, well, 2 1/2 stars.
User avatar
User

Kim H

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

941

Joined

Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:07 pm

Location

Louisville

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Kim H » Sat Jun 08, 2019 1:03 pm

We had thought about eating there after car shopping last weekend, but it was too early for dinner for us. I saw some positive comments here and elsewhere, and really thought my hubby would like it. But after viewing several pics of their food, I questioned whether or not the dishes would be too saucy for our liking. After reading your review, I would still check them out, but might ask if they could go light on the sauce. I loved your comments regarding the meatballs, "hidden under a flood of tomato sauce...", and, "Once excavated..." Made me chuckle as that was the exact impression I got looking at the photos.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Sat Jun 08, 2019 2:36 pm

:lol: Very perceptive, Kim. Their food is good, but it is the kind of family Italian that features generous dollops of both sauce and cheese.

Not that it matters, but I'm almost sure the people who run the place are Hispanic. I wonder if they're from Argentina? It's about 40 percent Italian heritage, going back to the same era when European immigrants were coming into the US through Ellis Island.
no avatar
User

Iggy C

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

558

Joined

Mon Oct 10, 2011 9:33 am

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Iggy C » Sat Jun 08, 2019 5:35 pm

Robin Garr wrote::lol: Very perceptive, Kim. Their food is good, but it is the kind of family Italian that features generous dollops of both sauce and cheese.

Not that it matters, but I'm almost sure the people who run the place are Hispanic. I wonder if they're from Argentina? It's about 40 percent Italian heritage, going back to the same era when European immigrants were coming into the US through Ellis Island.

I don’t remember why I think this, but FWIW I am 90% sure they are Mexican.
User avatar
User

Robin Garr

{ RANK }

Forum host

Posts

22984

Joined

Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:38 pm

Location

Crescent Hill

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Robin Garr » Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:51 pm

Iggy C wrote:I don’t remember why I think this, but FWIW I am 90% sure they are Mexican.

Certainly could be, Iggy. There is an Italian place on Outer Loop that's run by a Mexican family, now that I mention it. I have no knowledge of their background, I was only guessing because of the Italian cultural influence in Argentina and Uruguay.
User avatar
User

Kim H

{ RANK }

Foodie

Posts

941

Joined

Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:07 pm

Location

Louisville

Re: Milantoni offers fine Italian, the old-fashioned way

by Kim H » Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:57 am

I'm pretty sure they are Hispanic, which surprised me. I saw them on a wdrb "Be Our Guest" promo. Good food is good food, but it wasn't what I expected.
https://www.wdrb.com/milantoni-italian- ... b52aa.html

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign