Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Rating:

I must admit, Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano in Eden Prairie took me by surprise.

Biaggi's, part of a Bloomington, Ill.-based chain, is the latest in a long string of corporate theme restaurants to arrive in the Twin Cities suburbs, joining Don Pablo's, the Macaroni Grill, the Olive Garden, P.F. Chang's, Big Bowl, Copeland's of New Orleans, Red Lobster and others too numerous to mention.

Regular readers of these pages have figured out that I am not a big fan of these corporate chain restaurants. I occasionally get mail from readers who think I am prejudiced.

I disagree. Prejudice means, "a judgment or opinion formed before the facts are known." My dislike of many of these restaurants comes from sad experience. Too often, they serve up mass-produced, dumbed-down fare that's heavy on fat and salt, and light on subtlety and imagination.

But Biaggi's is a surprising exception. Not because it is in any way "authentic," but because the food actually tastes good -- fresh and lively and flavorful. Service is friendly, attentive and much more knowledgeable than that at the usual casual dining restaurant. And the concept itself is intelligent: Biaggi's version of Italian dining manages to convey an aura of style and sophistication -- and a setting of understated white-tablecloth elegance -- without taking Midwestern diners out of their comfort zone.

Read Full Review »