*Reasonably priced, excellent place for a first date, anniversary, birthday, or any other excuse you have for going out.

If you're the kind of person who craves authenticity and old-school Italian charm, then you'll love Datillo Ristorante. The place is owned by a real Italian family (vs. some soul-less corporation) and has been around for over 34 years. Who knew Hemet, home of taquerias and fast food, still had a quality sit-down establishment such as this?

I didn't get any of their famous pizza (this time) but instead was treated to a plate of perfectly cooked spaghetti with to-die-for red sauce. I mean the sauce was awesome- fresh and not-acidic. (Yay! no heartburn!) The noodles were al dente, the way I like them, and the meatballs were not greasy and spiced perfectly

If you're going to absorb lots of calories and knock your diet off track, make sure its worthwhile, fresh and well-prepared food. Datillo made going off my low-carb diet easy and painless. HA!

My meal included two slices of their homemade bread (I could have eaten a whole loaf of that stuff!) I chose the lentil soup as my side dish.

While the food was indeed awesome, its the ambiance that impressed most impressed me. Staff was friendly and attentive, the bartender, who I later discovered was actually one of the owners was a delightfully young 80-something man full of entertaining stories and a song or two. An added feature of my visit is that one of their long-time patrons was having a birthday celebration...her 107th Birthday! Maybe there's something in the Datillo sauce that contributed to her longevity? I got to meet that lovely lady and hear her sing along with the owner. Pure gold!

If Buca di Beppo were REALLY Italian, it would be like Datillo Ristorante, only not as good. PS: If you drink adult beverages and you like a slightly sweeter cocktail, ask for an Italian martini. YUMMY.