This is The Hill. Charlie Gitto's is, so far, some of the best food we have had on The Hill. The style is very classic/old school, from the restaurant decor, to the service, to the style of food. This is not a bad thing. The restaurant is small, dark, and intimate, and still very crowded on a Saturday night at 9pm. We did have a reservation, and were seated quickly. The hostess showed us to our table and welcomed us while unrolling the silver wear and laying a napkin on my lap. The server assistants bused our tables and filled our waters without being prompted. Our server was personable and very professional. I had a feeling he had worked there for sometime. We felt very well taken care of and I really appreciate the attention to detail.
The menu is classic Italian-American, with a St. Louis twist (toasted ravioli, provel cheese). The price point is on the high side, but the food is unpretentious and generously portioned. No cocktail list, but a wide selection of liquors and a beautiful bar- I'm sure they would have made us what ever we wanted. They had a large wine selection, judging by the encyclopedia size book of wines we were presented. I wanted to try Italian, which I don't drink a lot of, and I felt like the restaurant could benefit from a sommelier. I am weary of "featured wines"- which we were directed to when I asked for suggestions. Sometimes they are featured because someone bought a truck load and is trying to move them. This doesn't mean they are bad wines, but if I'm going to pay around $100 for a bottle, I want to know that it's selected for quality and taste, not convenience. In the end, our server did a good job, but a sommolier would heighten the experience.
The food was very satisfying- we started with the Eggplant Napoleon, which met all expectations and then some. The layers of asiago cheese sauce, tangy tomato sauce, and red peppers and pesto really worked well together and separately, to make each bite a delight. The eggplant was dense and crispy, not greasy or limp. It was so dense, maybe it should be served with a steak knife. It was a little difficult to eat, but worth it. We split a mixed green salad- which was plenty of salad for two people, the kitchen was very generous. I had the seafood ravioli with lobster sauce, which was jam packed with tender, fresh seafood. The cream sauce was luscious, and I was impressed that the seafood was cooked so well while still being inside the pasta. My husband had a NY strip steak, with a green pepper corn and brandy demi-glase preparation, and side of whipped potatoes and asparagus. The steak was cooked to order- medium rare. He stated it was delicious, and he is a pretty tough judge of steak. The only reason he didn’t finish it was he ate the lion’s share of the Eggplant Napoleon, which was huge. We ended the night by splitting a cannoli, which was crispy, not too sweet, and tasted like it was made fresh, which I worried about because we closed the place down at around 11pm.
All together, a stellar experience, if this restaurant has been around for a while, I can certainly see why. Perfect atmosphere for a date night, a celebration, or a family gathering. We will be back.
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