Paesano’s Lincoln Heights
I admit, Paesano’s never really registered on my radar until earlier this week. Coworkers have raved about it, but nothing they said really caught my interest. Chris and I went there as part of a group, and the only preparation I had was the reviews of coworkers and to look at the website.
All I can say at this point is, “Meh.”
The restaurant is supposed to be high (ish?) end Italian, and the prices and wine list certainly back that up but the delivery really didn’t do it for me.
The shrimp paesano is what I had and yes, it was very good. The balance of the meal was tipped to the south by the accompaniments though.
Served first was bread, olive oil with seasonings, and a small dish of olives. Good unsurprising choices, but nothing made me rave. The fruit bread got high remarks from my dinner companions, however.
The salad was sad. That’s really all I can say. A white plate of plain greens, dressed with some bland white dressing. I believe the server called it the ‘House Vinaigrette’ but I won’t hold her to it.
Receiving the shrimp paesano was pretty exciting. It is served in a large dish, 5 plump shrimp swimming in a light yellow sauce. The shrimp was lightly breaded which added a nice texture, but the sauce was fun. The first bite wasn’t so great, I got hit in the mouth with lemon and nothing else. The second bite dropped the lemon and gave a feeling of warmth. The following bites combined the lemon and the warm, and I’ll admit that I ate every bit of this dish which rarely happens.
Pasta with marinara sauce was served on the side and well, it was pasta with marinara. Fresh basil sprinkled on top, yes, but otherwise just a decent solid dish.
Overall the meal was merely okay. I don’t believe I’ll crave eating there.
