Walking into Toscana was a very pleasant and tasteful experience: smooth music played while soft lighting glowed gently on the white tablecloths of each table. The wait staff were dressed professionally. It was very apparent that this atmosphere was fancy enough to be considered fine dining, although not too classy to turn away the casual dresser.
The menu struck me in the same way. While some meals were not much more than what you would spend at Applebee’s (pasta for $10-$12), a significant portion of the menu was more pricey than what I would buy on a restricted college budget ó think upwards of $18, all including soup or salad.
I chose to go the other, less enticing ó as well as less expensive ó route and ordered pizza.
Before our food came out, we were treated to some absolutely delicious bread with olive oil. The bread was not only fluffy on the inside with a beautifully flaky crust, it was flavorful but not overwhelming with spice. Needless to say, the bread did not last very long.
The food arrived in a reasonable amount of time, considering I had ordered pizza. I was very impressed, however, by the portion sizes. The pizza itself had eight medium sized pieces, and its diameter was larger than the entirety of my dinner knife. The pizza had some zest to it, with its rich Italian sausage, banana peppers and pepperoni. The sauce to cheese ratio was average while the crust was superb. While I do not mean to say that the pizza was of a Chicago deep dish quality, it would, in fact, blow something like Cici’s completely out of the water.
Then, the ultimate question: was it worth the $12? To start, you will not leave without a full stomach: the large portions and bread guarantee that. On top of the portion size, Toscana Italian Grill is a place in which you are paying for the ambiance ó and you get it. From the very tasteful atmosphere to the good wait staff, the money was well spent. This would be a fantastic location to bring a date, have a formal dinner, splurge for a birthday or eat if you are inclined towards elegant affair.
In short, this is slightly above average Italian food with great atmosphere; expect this and you will not be disappointed.
Kevin Carpenter is a Business Manager for the Voice.† He can be reached for comment or more information at KCarpenter12@wooster.edu