WHERE WE WENT:
The Spaghetti Warehouse
40 Huling Avenue
Memphis, TN
38103
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Spinach & Artichoke Dip w/ Crostini, Mozzarella Fritta, Peperoni Mac & Cheese w/ Chicken Parmigiana Combo, Beef & Cheese Ravioli Combo w/ Chicken Fettuccine, Pitcher of House Sangria
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 8
Menu -5
Presentation - 4
Taste - 5
Price - 6
Service - 6
Overall - 5
Atmosphere
- Spaghetti Warehouse has a truly unique feel to it. The rustic, warm tones lend themselves to the feeling that you've entered into an Italian home. There's a variety of eclectic decor throughout the restaurant including antique movie posters, mismatched mosaic glass lamps, and vintage instruments. By far the coolest part of the entire place is the antique, life-size replica streetcar positioned in the middle of the main dining room. It created a great focal point for the large, widely spaced restaurants. Despite all the interesting features, we couldn't give it a 10 because there were many places where paint was peeling off the walls, some spaces seemed dirty, and the bathrooms were in pretty serious disrepair.
Menu
- The menu was altogether unimpressive. There were a lot of options available including options for vegetarians, but it was incredibly pasta heavy. We know it's an Italian restaurant, but that does not preclude them for having dishes that do not require pasta. There is a section specifically entitled "Pasta," but everything else on the menu includes it too. Also, there were specialty dishes, but there wasn't anything unique that you couldn't find at any other Italian restaurant. The only good parts of the menu were that it was visually appealing and there was a holiday special insert with interesting cocktails.
Presentation
-The presentation was not hideous but also wasn't particularly attractive. Both entrees, the Fettuccine Alfredo & Ravioli combo as well as the Peperoni Mac & Cheese w/ Chicken Parmigiana combo, were just squished side-by-side on a slightly too small plate. The appetizers were a little better; there appeared to be at least some effort and creativity present. The spinach and artichoke dip had the crostinis arranged in a spiral. The most interesting presentation was the pitcher of sangria. It was served with fruit, triple sec, and brandy in a pitcher over ice and they brought the bottle of Riunite Lambrusco out separately. We got to add the wine in to our liking and mix it all with a giant wooden spoon.
Taste
- The one word that best describes our experience is underwhelming. The mozzarella fritta was slightly burnt (We didn't think you could mess up cheese sticks). All that we could taste in the spinach and artichoke dip was cheese and garlic. There wasn't any spinach or artichoke that was recognizable. Honestly, it was ordered for our table and we didn't even know that's what it was supposed to be until someone said so. The peperoni mac & cheese was too rich and had a cheap taste to it, like something a college kid would make on a budget. The chicken parmigiana was ok, but a bit bland. The other entree combo wasn't much better. The ravioli was slightly over-cooked and under-stuffed and the sauce had a strange aftertaste. The chicken with the alfredo was cooked well and was juicy, but didn't have a lot of seasoning or flavor. The alfredo sauce itself had even less. It was almost completely tasteless. It had to be salted and peppered to death. The one thing that was truly enjoyable was the sangria. It was some of the best we'd ever had. The wine was a perfect pairing with fresh fruit and just the right concoction of ingredients.
Price - Compared to other Italian restaurants, the prices at the Spaghetti Warehouse were very reasonable. The entree combos were from a pick & pair entree selection for $12. The portions were generous as well. HOWEVER, when considering the taste and presentation, we couldn't award the pricing high marks. If the food had been as delicious as the sangria it would have been worth every penny.
Service - The waitstaff was hustling hard since there was a large number of us at the office party. They definitely deserve recognition for handling a large group, but they weren't particularly friendly or attentive. We want to give them the benefit of the doubt since it was an abnormal situation.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Not for the food. If you're looking for good Italian food, we would recommend you avoid Spaghetti Warehouse. If we were in the neighborhood and just wanted to stop for a drink, you might could coax us in with some sangria. Maybe.
Here's a link to their website:
http://www.meatballs.com/Home/
WHERE WE WENT:
Movie & Pizza Company
110 Harbor Town Square
Memphis, TN 38103
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Sausage and Cheese Platter, Garlic Bread, Beef & Spinach Stuffed Shells, Yeungling,
Shiner Wild Hare
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 7
Menu - 6
Presentation - 5
Taste - 7
Price - 8
Service - 9
Overall -7
Atmosphere
- The space of the restaurant is typical of a restaurant in a strip mall, since it does not stand alone. It is one room where you can see everything the moment you walk in the door. The walls are a semi-obnoxious, not quite lime green that did not match our personal tastes, but some people may be a fan of. It has a nice focal point - a big screen TV that is mounted high directly behind the bar. The whole restaurant sort of gravitates toward it. The seating is a combination of booths and tables very few of which seem to match. The great part about it though is the wall decor. Mounted on the awful green walls you'll find framed photography, aluminum signs of beer logos and movie posters showcasing some of the greats like Pulp Fiction and The Godfather. Also, if that wasn't cool enough, there's a giant King Kong replica caged in the top corner.
Menu
- The menu contained a decent variety of pastas, sandwiches, pizza and a few salads. There were substantial vegetarian options. Where the menu loses the bulk of
its points is in ease of use and pure error. First off, there were three chalk special boards placed randomly throughout the restaurant each detailing different items. If you didn't look closely, you could miss one, like I did. When I saw it as we were leaving, it made me wish I had gotten something else. It would have greatly improved our experience if they had just had a sheet explaining the specials. They have a good selection of wine and beer, including many craft beers and local brews to the tri-state area. HOWEVER, they do not know how to categorize their beer. They have it divided into "Domestic" and "Imports." Only four of the beers listed in the import section were actually imported. They seem to use the two terms interchangeably with "cheap" and "cheaper."
Presentation
-You don't expect fantastic presentation from a place like Movie & Pizza Company, but you do expect consistency. The beef & spinach shells were served in ceramic dish that had obvious wear, making it feel like a home-cooked dish. The sausage and cheese platter and the garlic bread were both served in red diner baskets with wax paper. The sausage and cheese platter had a lot of potential for interesting plating, or at least a plate.
Taste
- The sausage and cheese platter was good. The sausage was crisp on the edges with a great texture and just the right amount of spice. The BBQ sauce served with it was an excellent addition to the taste, both sweet and smoky. It had the makings of a great dish if the cheese pairings had been a little more original than sharp cheddar and pepper jack cubes. The overabundance of crackers was also distracting. As for the shells, the sauce was delicious, just a little sweet. All 3 shells were overflowing with spinach and ricotta, HOWEVER there was a distinct lack of beef, just enough to say they held true to the name but not enough to contribute to the taste. It felt like eating florentine shells, which would have been delicious if that were the order. The garlic bread...well you can't really mess up garlic bread.
Price
- The menu was well priced, especially considering the portion sizes. Beer and wine as reasonable, both draft, bottled, and pitchers. At the changing of seasons they have $2 "firesales" to get rid of their seasonal beer.
Service
- Our waitress was attentive and friendly. She answered questions and gave suggestions enthusiastically. The only issue is that it took a long while to get our check.
Extras - Tuesday nights are movie nights, where they screen a classic up behind the bar.
Friday nights at 8:30 is free team trivia.
Check the website linked below for a schedule.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Yes. It's a great place to hang out. The food is good and the drinks are affordable.
Here's a link to their website: www.moviepizzacompany.com/
WHERE WE WENT:
Little Italy
1495 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN
38104
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Medium Cheese Pizza, Ham & Pepperoni Stromboli
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 7
Menu - 7
Presentation -5
Taste - 7
Price - 6
Service -8
Overall -7
Atmosphere
- The restaurant itself is pretty small, seating about 25 people. The walls have a warm orange tone that is cozy and evokes an Italian feel. The layout of the restaurant and the simple decor allow the restaurant to live up to its name. It feels like you could walk right off the streets of New York up to the counter of this little place.
Menu
- The menu is a board posted behind the counter and can be a little tough to read. They have a great variety of your typical New York-style favorites including stuffed pizzas, sandwiches, strombolis, desserts, pasta dishes etc. You can order pizza by the slice as well. The only thing lacking is alcoholic beverages.
Presentation
- Little Italy deals primarily in take-out orders, so the presentation is virtually non-existent. Pizza boxes and styrofoam take-out boxes are the norm, but that is only to be expected from such a delicious hole-in-the-wall.
Taste
-With Mike's family being originally from New Jersey, and having spent much time in NYC, he is pretty picky about his pizza. The pizza was overall very good. The sauce had excellent flavor and texture and you can tell the cheese was fresh. We're fans of thin crusted pizza, but the crust tonight was a little doughy. It needed to be crispier. Pizza should be able to stay straight (not flimsy) when held by its crust. The stromboli was excellent. There was just enough dough to hold everything together, but not too much so that it felt like that's all you were eating.
Price - The menu was reasonable, especially for somewhere so close to downtown. We've seen better. The best deal is the pizza by the slice. The slices are huge, in true New York fashion. Monday and Thursdays are "Pizza Nights". You can get a large cheese for $10 and a large 1 topping for $12.
Service - All of the pizzas are made to order, so it took a few minutes to get our food, but it was worth it. Since its a small place, there's only a few people who work there. The people are friendly, but not over-talkative.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Yes. We really like this place. It's the closest thing to real New York we've been able to find since we've been in Tennessee.
