If you’ve never seen a whirling dervish, I saw one at Pasquale’s Ristorante in Londonderry recently. And her name was Yvonne.
But we’ll get to that.
Dad, aka my dining companion, is a big fan of Italian food. I am not. This has caused many arguments through the years in our family. But every once in a while, I give in and say: OK, Dad.
I’m happy to say that we managed to find a place with a menu where each of us could find something to enjoy.
Pasquale’s is located on busy Route 102 in a standalone building located a quarter mile west from the Apple Tree Mall. We stopped in on the early side for dinner, and we watched as the place filled up with customers.
We were seated in the main dining room, smack dab in front of the fireplace, which we think was the best spot in the house, though a seat at the full bar was tempting as well. The restaurant is awash in yellow — a nod to a Tuscan color palette. It’s welcoming and cozy.
We started off with two drinks from their specialty martini menu: one espresso, one lemon drop ($13 each). My espresso version was what you’d expect, but dad said he should have ordered something else from the bar that had a bit more punch.
Along with our adult beverages, we opted for the appetizer special, the homemade fresh mozzarella roll ($12.99) — mozzarella sheets stuffed with roasted red peppers, prosciutto, fresh basil and pecorino Romano cheese, and served over greens with lemon vinaigrette and balsamic reduction.
This cold dish was a refreshing way to start the meal. And while I appreciated the greenery on the plate, there could have been less of it — but more balsamic, please.
If the special hadn’t been available, we would have opted for the meat and cheese selection ($14) or the arancini (homemade rice balls) $9.99.
I had decided on my entree before I got into the restaurant. I ordered the Five Cheese white pizza, which consisted of a roasted garlic cream base, jack, cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheese (12-inch pie, $14.99). I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t hit with a punch of garlic at the start. I love garlic, but I want to be able to taste the cheeses. The roasting of the garlic mellowed it out so you got the flavor but weren’t overwhelmed by it. It was just enough sauce, and the brick-oven crust was perfectly charred.
Dad ordered the chicken Marsala ($22.99), comprising chicken and mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce.
Chicken Marsala, above, and Limoncello marscapone at Pasquale’s in Londonderry.
The dish arrived somewhat cooler than expected, most likely because of the timing on the pizza. The chicken was pounded very thin, as it should be, and was tender, and the sauce was a bit sweet, as expected.
His only complaint was that the homemade fettucine could have been cooked a bit longer, but it was not a deal-breaker.
The portion was enough for two meals. We packed the rest of the chicken and pizza for the way home.
This is a good time to talk about our server, Yvonne the whirling dervish. We overheard her telling a customer who knew her that she was finishing up her third double shift in three days. She was pretty much on her own tending to a number of tables.
But not for one moment did we feel overlooked or neglected. We felt the opposite. We watched as she kept an eagle eye on each table, swooping in when appropriate and necessary. Kudos to great service (with a smile) even when the circumstances are challenging.
Both of us wanted dessert, but we were more than full so we ordered to go. I wanted the tiramisu but they were sold out, so I ordered a cannoli instead.
Dad chose a slice of Limoncello marscapone cake. The cake was tender and tasty, packed with lemon flavor. However, the cannoli shell seemed to have suffered from being around too long and was hard to eat.
Our total check for two drinks, two entrees, one appetizer and two desserts was $100.87. With plenty to take home, the price was reasonable, especially with rising food costs.
We’ll be back for another meal — lobster ravioli for me — and to ask Yvonne where she gets all that energy.
