Stella D’oro — Restaurant in Middletown

We were trying to figure out where to go to lunch the other day as we drove by the old Tuscany Grille in Middletown. We realized it was open again with a new name and new owners (and a fresh face-lift). We thought we'd give it a try and we are happy that we did. The family that own it are always on site. Our server was a family member and manager (we sat at the very nice bar). His name was Emir. He was very knowledgeable about the menu and answered all of our questions. The ambiance was great, and we enjoyed Italian music in the background. They did a great job decorating. They kept their outdoor seating area, which is in a courtyard (not on Main St like most restaurants in Middletown). There is also a free parking lot, which is a rarity on Main St.

We started off with an appetizer unlike any we've had before. Two lightly fried triangles of Buffalo mozzarella covered with sautéed onions, prosciutto and mushrooms...finished in a light cognac sauce. Excellent. I must say I enjoyed one of the tastiest mediterranean entries I've ever had in any restaurant. The Veal Sorrentino was superb. Scallopini topped with prosciutto, eggplant, and fontina cheese in a light brown sauce with a touch of marinara. Wow! The sharpness of that fontina cheese (and the contrast it provided) was the perfect compliment to this dish. I'll be back to try the eggplant parmesan (not on the menu but we were told they could make almost anything for us...right!!??). No breading on the eggplant...very light and tasty. The chicken parmesan was incredible as well, covered in a marinara containing plentiful garlic and chunks of bright red San Marzano tomatoes. An impressive dessert list (I had the amazing pistachio cream pie) was then presented to us to top off a ...

We (and probably at least a dozen or two of other couples) had a reservation for 7:30pm on Valentine’s Day. We weren’t seated until 8:30pm and the staff was not asking for names - basically if you didn’t go to the front, someone in a later time slot could have been seated before us (witness a 7:45 reservation couple almost get seated because they didn’t check if there were more 7:30 couples in line). We were served drinks and bread once seated and our appetizer order was taken. We waited. Nothing came out. We placed our entre orders. Still nothing. An hour and thirty/forty minutes later we were finally served our appetizer and then after more waiting, our entrees. We spent 3 hours inside this restaurant just to be fed at 10/10:20pm when we arrived at 7:30. We were going to walk out but I knew we’d have a hard time finding a table without a reservation somewhere else. They comped our appetizer in the end. I was disappointed that so many people were expecting to be seated with a reservation at their reservation times and instead we had to stand and wait, and then sit and wait some more because the staff couldn’t keep up with the number of guests. Please consider limiting reservations next time so that your customers enjoy their experience. Your staff was busting their butts to accommodate everyone, that...

Stopped by here for lunch on a Friday. The place was empty but the lone waiter immediately sprung into action and have us seated. The architecture inside is quite unique. The waiter told us this used to be an opera house when it first opened 50 years ago. Given that we are the only table in the restaurant, I wasn't sure if the food is good. They brought out a basket of warm toasted breads. I ordered the Pasta e Fagioli (Italian bean soup) and it was delicious. The soup was full of fresh ingredients, with fresh vegetables, beans, small slices of pancetta. For main course, I had the Cavatelli, served with sausage, broccoli rabe, cherry peppers. The broth was thin and not oily. It has just the right amount of saltiness and acidity. The pasta was perfectly cooked to al dente. My mom ordered the Mediterranean salad with arugula and goat cheese. She also enjoyed her dish. I will definitely come back and try their...