That Food Guy
Monday, October 17, 2016
China Lights - Eagle River, Alaska
It was a busy time for me then. There was work and the extracurricular activities such as dog mushing that kept me busy and it was a long while before I was in town, at the right time, to get some more fried rice takeout. It was, to put it plainly, terrible. The rice was almost crunchy. It wasn’t seasoned at all except for a splash of soy sauce and there was only a pittance of vegetables and chicken thrown in. Even steaming it a bit at home I was unable to revive it and, sadly, most of that order ended up in the compost pile. After that encounter I pretty much erased the mental note and never again considered the China Lights as an asset. Over the ensuing years I have driven past the China Lights many, many times but never had any inkling to try it again.
During this 2016 trip to Alaska I noticed some TV ads for
the China Lights. They mostly featured the Anchorage store, especially the
interior shots showing the buffet, but the ad did tell of the two locations,
Anchorage and Eagle River. That got me to thinking… (Sometimes that is a
dangerous thing to do.) So, if the China Lights has been there all this time
without going under they must be doing something right and not chasing away
customers like they did me. Also, if they have made enough profit to open or
take over another facility they must have a fairly large and satisfied customer
base. Perhaps, I thought, it was time to give China Lights another try.
I called good buddy Larry Tower and asked if he would like to go to lunch one day soon. On the appointed day we made the fifteen minute drive to China Lights. Apparently the buffet is popular and the hostess/waitress assumed we were there for the buffet and when she seated us she didn’t offer the menu as an option. I thought for a moment and then decided, “Why not?” We would try the buffet today and I could come back later for a “lunch special” take home meal rather than eat in. She took our beverage order and bade us to go and select from the buffet.
As I mentioned, the store is of modest size. It is well
decorated in the Asian theme with bas-relief paneling depicting Chinese scenes.
The ceiling is embossed tiles in a copper color. Various wall hangings and
objects d’art round out the décor. There are several booths along the front
window wall and the main dining area features tables and chair that can be
arranged as needed to accommodate different sized groups. There is no room for
free standing serving bars as you would normally find in a Chinese buffet. In
the addition of the buffet to the more traditional sit down and dine in and
take out there was little room for adding the serving bars. There is a salad
bar and steam table combination, serve from one side only and about 16 to 18 feet
long, against the back wall. That leaves little room for a large number of
selections one would normally associate with a Chinese buffet. As I remember
the selections (and memory can be spotty) the selections, with some of my
initial impressions, were as follows.
Soups – Egg flower and - one other: Egg flower soup good, didn’t try the other
What is the allure of the Chinese buffet? I would answer
that it a place where, for a relatively small amount of money, you can eat to
your fill with palatable food; a place to go get stuffed. To that end China
Lights does quite well. Its selections, although limited by space, fare well
compared to any of the other buffets I have tried in the past. I do have some
minor issues with some of the offerings but overall, as I mentioned, it is
quite good as Chinese buffets go.
On my first go through the buffet
line, I got a bowl of egg flower soup and a plate with tempura vegetables,
sweet and sour chicken, a pot sticker, spicy meatballs, sesame chicken, some
Mongolian chicken and my favorite, fried rice. The soup was good. There were a
lot of egg shreds and the broth had a good flavor as well as a nice mouth feel;
it wasn’t just a bowl of flavored water. The selection of the tempura
vegetables was limited to some onion rings and some small medallions I think
were squash. The items were battered and fried but the batter was very heavy
for tempura and detracted from what taste the vegetables had. The pot stickers
were a bit chewy and perhaps had been in the pan too long. The spicy meatballs
relied on the sauce for the spice and the texture was coarse, perhaps a lot of
filler, Not one of my favorite for the selection. The Mongolian chicken was one
of the better dishes they offered. It was flavorful with lots of chicken. The
sesame chicken was much like other buffet sesame chickens, an amber sauce and
toasted sesame seeds. It didn’t stand out, kind of bland, and I think the sauce
needed a bit more sesame oil to liven up the flavor. The sweet and sour chicken
here was what I have come to learn is called New York-style; breaded chicken
pieces and a red sweet and sour sauce on the side. I learned to like sweet and
sour chicken a long time ago on the West Coast. It was dish of breaded and
fried chicken pieces, stir fried Bell peppers, onion and sometimes thinly
sliced carrots and pineapple chunks all tossed with a red sauce with definite
sweet and sour overtones; a medley of many great flavors and textures. I
am a bit biased and it is difficult to be positive about a dish that is missing
most of its elements. The China Light’s version was heavily breaded chicken (I
suspect the breaded chicken is a bulk pre-made kitchen supply) and the sauce
was indeed red, sticky and sweet but lacked any definite sour component. It was
just like all the other buffet sweet and sour chicken just a shadow of the real
thing. The fried rice was good. It was a filler dish to be sure, an inexpensive
food to bulk out the meal. Even so, it had good flavor and there were some
little goodies in the mix to add to the taste and texture.
China Lights
12110
Business Blvd #2
Eagle River,
Alaska 88577
(907)
694-8080
The China Lights Restaurant in Eagle River is a small to medium-sized
facility located in a strip mall. This particular restaurant has been there
since 1980. A sister establishment, located in Anchorage, has been extant since
2010. I have not visited the Anchorage facility so everything herein pertains
to the Eagle River store.
I have a mixed history with China Lights that goes back a
long time. I first became aware of the Eagle River China Lights when I moved
into the area about 1995. A fan of Chinese food, I was quick to spot it and
mentally mark it for later. Sometime later I had that urge for some fried rice,
one of my favorite foods, and went to China Lights for takeout. It was excellent! I really loved it; very
flavorful with a great seasoning combination I wished I could emulate. I was
very happy to have some tasty Chinese food close at hand.It was a busy time for me then. There was work and the extracurricular activities such as dog mushing that kept me busy and it was a long while before I was in town, at the right time, to get some more fried rice takeout. It was, to put it plainly, terrible. The rice was almost crunchy. It wasn’t seasoned at all except for a splash of soy sauce and there was only a pittance of vegetables and chicken thrown in. Even steaming it a bit at home I was unable to revive it and, sadly, most of that order ended up in the compost pile. After that encounter I pretty much erased the mental note and never again considered the China Lights as an asset. Over the ensuing years I have driven past the China Lights many, many times but never had any inkling to try it again.
During this 2016 trip to Alaska I noticed some TV ads for
the China Lights. They mostly featured the Anchorage store, especially the
interior shots showing the buffet, but the ad did tell of the two locations,
Anchorage and Eagle River. That got me to thinking… (Sometimes that is a
dangerous thing to do.) So, if the China Lights has been there all this time
without going under they must be doing something right and not chasing away
customers like they did me. Also, if they have made enough profit to open or
take over another facility they must have a fairly large and satisfied customer
base. Perhaps, I thought, it was time to give China Lights another try.I called good buddy Larry Tower and asked if he would like to go to lunch one day soon. On the appointed day we made the fifteen minute drive to China Lights. Apparently the buffet is popular and the hostess/waitress assumed we were there for the buffet and when she seated us she didn’t offer the menu as an option. I thought for a moment and then decided, “Why not?” We would try the buffet today and I could come back later for a “lunch special” take home meal rather than eat in. She took our beverage order and bade us to go and select from the buffet.
As I mentioned, the store is of modest size. It is well
decorated in the Asian theme with bas-relief paneling depicting Chinese scenes.
The ceiling is embossed tiles in a copper color. Various wall hangings and
objects d’art round out the décor. There are several booths along the front
window wall and the main dining area features tables and chair that can be
arranged as needed to accommodate different sized groups. There is no room for
free standing serving bars as you would normally find in a Chinese buffet. In
the addition of the buffet to the more traditional sit down and dine in and
take out there was little room for adding the serving bars. There is a salad
bar and steam table combination, serve from one side only and about 16 to 18 feet
long, against the back wall. That leaves little room for a large number of
selections one would normally associate with a Chinese buffet. As I remember
the selections (and memory can be spotty) the selections, with some of my
initial impressions, were as follows.Soups – Egg flower and - one other: Egg flower soup good, didn’t try the other
Almond Chicken
– Lots of chicken, pretty good but a bit confused flavor wise
Sesame
Chicken – A mainstream sesame chicken but a bit weak in the sauce
Mongolian
Chicken – A good amount of chicken with pretty good flavor, interesting
Spicy
Meatballs - a bit over cooked, kind of bland
Vegetable Lo
Mein – more noodles than vegetables
Pot Stickers
– not exceptional, need the sauce
Fried Rice –
for a filler dish, not too bad with good flavor and fresh looking vegetables
but not as good as my sampling many years ago
Spring Rolls
– little prepackaged rolls a bit chewy/crunchy
Tempura
Vegetables – onion rings and medallions of squash, I believe.
Sweet and
Sour Chicken – ahhh, yes! The New York-style is here too. Too bad…
Sweet and
Sour Sauce – It’s red.
French fries
– that one puzzles me – I didn’t try them but French fries in the limited space
available?
Assorted
fruits and Desserts -
On my first go through the buffet
line, I got a bowl of egg flower soup and a plate with tempura vegetables,
sweet and sour chicken, a pot sticker, spicy meatballs, sesame chicken, some
Mongolian chicken and my favorite, fried rice. The soup was good. There were a
lot of egg shreds and the broth had a good flavor as well as a nice mouth feel;
it wasn’t just a bowl of flavored water. The selection of the tempura
vegetables was limited to some onion rings and some small medallions I think
were squash. The items were battered and fried but the batter was very heavy
for tempura and detracted from what taste the vegetables had. The pot stickers
were a bit chewy and perhaps had been in the pan too long. The spicy meatballs
relied on the sauce for the spice and the texture was coarse, perhaps a lot of
filler, Not one of my favorite for the selection. The Mongolian chicken was one
of the better dishes they offered. It was flavorful with lots of chicken. The
sesame chicken was much like other buffet sesame chickens, an amber sauce and
toasted sesame seeds. It didn’t stand out, kind of bland, and I think the sauce
needed a bit more sesame oil to liven up the flavor. The sweet and sour chicken
here was what I have come to learn is called New York-style; breaded chicken
pieces and a red sweet and sour sauce on the side. I learned to like sweet and
sour chicken a long time ago on the West Coast. It was dish of breaded and
fried chicken pieces, stir fried Bell peppers, onion and sometimes thinly
sliced carrots and pineapple chunks all tossed with a red sauce with definite
sweet and sour overtones; a medley of many great flavors and textures. I
am a bit biased and it is difficult to be positive about a dish that is missing
most of its elements. The China Light’s version was heavily breaded chicken (I
suspect the breaded chicken is a bulk pre-made kitchen supply) and the sauce
was indeed red, sticky and sweet but lacked any definite sour component. It was
just like all the other buffet sweet and sour chicken just a shadow of the real
thing. The fried rice was good. It was a filler dish to be sure, an inexpensive
food to bulk out the meal. Even so, it had good flavor and there were some
little goodies in the mix to add to the taste and texture.
To date my favorite Chinese
restaurant in Alaska is the Imperial Palace. It is located in Anchorage which
is a 45-minute drive away from home. China Lights, on the other hand, located in
Eagle River, is barely a 10-minute drive away. I suspect that on my next trip
to Alaska I will try out China Lights and order from the menu for a sit-down
dinner. I remember once I had some great food from there. It would be very nice
to know that a good and trusted source was near to home. I will let you know
how well that turns out in a later blog post.
It should be noted that there is a
certificate proudly displayed on the entranceway wall of China Lights: Top
100 Chinese Restaurants: Exterior
100%, Service 100%, Food 97.06%Labels: Alaska, all you can eat, Asian, China, Chinese, Eagle River, egg flower soup, food, lights China Lights, Top 100 Chinese Restaurants
¶ 12:35 PM 0 Comments
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Shine's Asian Fusion Bistro
Shine’s Sushi
12400 Old Glen Hwy #3
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
(907) 622-8889 http://www.shinessush.com/
Shine’s has long been a favorite place. I was therefore surprised when there was another café in its old storefront place. I had just returned after a two year absence and was looking forward to sharing my favorite haunt with my sister and nephew when they arrived in a few days for their Alaskan adventure. I was fortunate enough to locate Shine’s in its new location a few blocks away on the opposite side of the main street through town. The new banner, Shine’s Asian Fusion Bistro, beckons you onto a larger facility but with the same delicious offerings.
I picked up Pattie Sue and Ron at the Anchorage airport after their late morning arrival. We stopped in Eagle River for lunch at Shines before heading home to Chugiak. After all, the airlines haven’t done an adequate job of feeding and caring for the passengers for a long, long time…
We ordered from the Lunch Special Menu. Pattie Sue chose the Sesame Chicken (Chose 1 Item from A List Below, $9.00, Most dishes served wth Miso Soup, Salad). Nephew Ron ordered the Lunch Box (Choose Three Items Below, 1 Each from A to D, $11.00). He chose the Tempura, California Roll, and the Teriyaki Chicken. I also chose a Lunch Box. My choices were the Tempura and California Roll but I chose the Sesame Chicken for my final choice.
We all started off with a bowl of salad and a bowl of miso soup. The salad was a mix of greens with some shreds of carrot and purple cabbage for color contrast and eye appeal. The dressing was light, had a slight tartness but underneath was a sweet component; very tasty. The miso soup was hot, savory and whetted the appetite for the meal to come. We had to reassure Ron that drinking the soup from the bowl was acceptable table manners.
Pattie Sue’s Sesame Chicken was am ample serving of nicely cooked breaded chicken morsels, sprinkled with sesame seeds and drizzled with sauce. There was a serving of steamed rice and a small salad of finely cut greens and radishes. She said the chicken was cooked through, was tender and had good flavor; delicious. The rice and salad made a nice accompaniment. The serving was large enough that some of her meal went home in a “doggie bag.” It made a delicious snack the next day.
The Shine’s Lunch Boxes are actually Bento Box plates. That presentation has long been a favorite of mine. The five-compartment tray has a place for the sushi roll, the tempura, the rice and the entrée. A final and a smaller compartment for the beni shoga, pickled ginger, and the wasabi. The pretty presentation does belie the amount of food in the serving.
The new facility features booths along the walls and appropriate space between the tables for a lower noise level and a bit of privacy. As usual, the serving staff was quick, polite and thorough. He food was fresh, tasty and well presented. It is easy to see why Shine’s will continue to be one of m favorite places to go for a bite to eat when I am in Eagle River, Alaska.
12400 Old Glen Hwy #3
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
(907) 622-8889 http://www.shinessush.com/
Shine’s has long been a favorite place. I was therefore surprised when there was another café in its old storefront place. I had just returned after a two year absence and was looking forward to sharing my favorite haunt with my sister and nephew when they arrived in a few days for their Alaskan adventure. I was fortunate enough to locate Shine’s in its new location a few blocks away on the opposite side of the main street through town. The new banner, Shine’s Asian Fusion Bistro, beckons you onto a larger facility but with the same delicious offerings.
I picked up Pattie Sue and Ron at the Anchorage airport after their late morning arrival. We stopped in Eagle River for lunch at Shines before heading home to Chugiak. After all, the airlines haven’t done an adequate job of feeding and caring for the passengers for a long, long time… We ordered from the Lunch Special Menu. Pattie Sue chose the Sesame Chicken (Chose 1 Item from A List Below, $9.00, Most dishes served wth Miso Soup, Salad). Nephew Ron ordered the Lunch Box (Choose Three Items Below, 1 Each from A to D, $11.00). He chose the Tempura, California Roll, and the Teriyaki Chicken. I also chose a Lunch Box. My choices were the Tempura and California Roll but I chose the Sesame Chicken for my final choice.
We all started off with a bowl of salad and a bowl of miso soup. The salad was a mix of greens with some shreds of carrot and purple cabbage for color contrast and eye appeal. The dressing was light, had a slight tartness but underneath was a sweet component; very tasty. The miso soup was hot, savory and whetted the appetite for the meal to come. We had to reassure Ron that drinking the soup from the bowl was acceptable table manners. Pattie Sue’s Sesame Chicken was am ample serving of nicely cooked breaded chicken morsels, sprinkled with sesame seeds and drizzled with sauce. There was a serving of steamed rice and a small salad of finely cut greens and radishes. She said the chicken was cooked through, was tender and had good flavor; delicious. The rice and salad made a nice accompaniment. The serving was large enough that some of her meal went home in a “doggie bag.” It made a delicious snack the next day.
The Shine’s Lunch Boxes are actually Bento Box plates. That presentation has long been a favorite of mine. The five-compartment tray has a place for the sushi roll, the tempura, the rice and the entrée. A final and a smaller compartment for the beni shoga, pickled ginger, and the wasabi. The pretty presentation does belie the amount of food in the serving.
The Shine’s shrimp tempura is always a treat. The skewer holds several shrimp together making a large serving something resembling a super jumbo shrimp. The batter was nice and brown, crispy fried; perfect as usual. The California roll, an inside out makisushi roll, was well made. The rice was sticky and held together
even with ham-fists manipulating the hashi. The delicious crab and avocado filling was tasty and the coating of sesame seeds seemed to get lost in all the other succulent flavors. The chicken serving was ample. Ron felt there was a bit too much of the teriyaki sauce on his but otherwise the taste and texture was excellent.
The sesame chicken was very good. The chicken morsels were nicely breaded, fried a nice brown and
coated with a tasty sauce and, of course, the sesame seeds.
Even for travelers with ravenous appetites, the luncheon special meals were more than ample servings to quell the hunger; a successful introduction into the food chain of wilderness Alaska. The new incarnation of Shine’s Sushi is an improvement in spaciousness and diner comfort. The old featured tables and chairs all in close proximity to one another. When busy the ambient noise level was high; something usually overlooked.
Labels: Bento Box, California Roll, chicken, Eagle River, sesame, Shines, shrimp, sushi, tempura
¶ 1:13 PM 0 Comments
Monday, August 09, 2010
Piccolino's Restaurant - Eagle River, Alaska
Piccolino’s Eagle River, Alaska 08/09
12801 Old Glen Highway
Eagle River, AK 99577 (907) 622-5266
To be alert is to be prepared. To be alert is an asset. So, when Dale and Bobbi asked if we wanted to accompany them to Piccolino’s in Eagle River, I found I was unaware of Piccolino’s, not at all. So much for being prepared, being alert! In my defense I have to add that it was once just a little storefront establishment, in a set-back mini-strip mall, next to a variety of come and go businesses. Over about six years they have grown, adding a store in Wasilla and now expanding into the remainder of the little mini-mall. A new and bright sign make the restaurant more visible. Others have been more alert and have noticed Piccolino’s. The adequate parking lot fills quickly during the evening hours.
Piccolino’s advertises itself as a Greek and Italian restaurant. They also offer a breakfast menu featuring traditional breakfast items, a luncheon menu and a dinner menu. I haven’t seen the breakfast and luncheon menus but they are available on the Piccolino’s web site, www.piccolinos.net . I did, during this meal, order from the dinner menu.
They have done extensive renovation and added many aesthetic touches. Columns flanking the entry have miniature fountains. Signature bas relief vines and grapes adorn the walls. A choice of either tables and chairs or booths is available. The lighting is subdued, the restrained colors coordinated, and the background noise is low making dinner table conversation easy. It all makes for a pleasant dining place.
The menu is several pages. Besides offering Greek and Italian specialties, they offer pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood and a children’s (and seniors) menu. There was enough variety that selection took awhile. So many good things to try…
Bobbi ordered the Athenian Eggplant ($18.95). Described in the menu as, “Deep fried breaded eggplant topped with feta,
mozzarella, sautéed spinach, 
mushrooms, onion, and tomato cream sauce. Served over garlic mashed potatoes.” A colorful dish with lots of different flavors. Bobbi enjoyed her selection saying that was was very good and would certainly be considered again at a later date.
Dale ordered the Olympian Chicken ($17.95). Described as, “Chicken breast charbroiled with Mediterranean herbs. Topped with olive oil and garlic lemon sauce. Served over Greek spaghetti.” Daled ordered from the menu description, not certain what he had ordered. He described it as very good, very flavorful and he ate it with gusto.
My wife, Janis, ordered a Calzone ($14.95). Her selection was a meat calzone described as, “Pizza sauce, pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, and mozzarella. Served with meat sauce.” A large, nicely browned crust, it was served with a side dish of marinara meat sauce for dipping. The crust was tender and the calzone filled with sauce and meat, certainly no skimping on the filling. She enjoyed it very much and it ranked with other calzones that got her on the habit. It was large enough that half of it came home in a “doggie bag.”
After long deliberation, I chose the Chicken Parmigiano ($15.95). Described as, “Lightly breaded and sautéed with garlic, olive oil and
white wine. Oven baked with 
mozzarella and marinara. Served with spaghetti.” If you wish antipasto salad, you have to order that separately. For most of the dishes, Greek and Italian, a salad is extra ($3.50). Three of us ordered the salad. It was a nice mixed salad, not to large but adequate. The lettuce is crisp, with bits of carrot and cabbage, with tomato wedges and sliced ripe olives. A choice of vinaigrette, Ranch or 1000 Island dressing is served on the side.
My chicken Parmigiano was excellent. The flattened chicken breast was well cooked. Although I used my knife, I could easily cut the chicken with a fork. Very flavorful with from the cooking with garlic and wine, it was even better with the smooth texture of the mozzarella and the slight bite of the marinara sauce. I enjoyed the meal and, unfortunately for the dog, there were no left-overs to go home.
Piccolino’s has a wine list that offers a lot of selections. We chose this day to pass on the wine. The ladies opted for iced tea and lemon water. Dale and I chose colas. The serving staff keeps the glasses, water a
nd soda, filled for you. 
Everyone, including myself, was quite full from dinner and had already decided that we didn’t want any dessert. Then the server came to the table with a tray and samples of the Piccolino’s dessert selection. Janis and I held firm but Dale and Bobbi just couldn’t turn it down. Bobbi ordered a cheesecake ($6.50) and Dale selected a canola ($6.50). The dessert chef took great care to decorate the plates with chocolate and flavored syrups. Each enjoyed their dessert, saying that it was very good.
The servers were all very friendly and seemed to be glad to have you as a customer. Except for a slight delay in the arrival of the salad, arriving only moments before the entrée, all seemed to be smoothly orchestrated. Certainly, Piccolino’s will be on the list for a revisit one day soon.
Piccolino’s offers call-in take out and some local delivery.
Normal operating hours (extended during the long summer daylight hours) are
Monday – Thursday 11AM to 9 PM
Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 10 PM
Sunday 7 AM to 9 PM
Breakfast Menu, 7 – 11, Lunch Menu, 11 - 4
Piccolino’s Eagle River, Alaska 08/09
12801 Old Glen Highway
Eagle River, AK 99577 (907) 622-5266
To be alert is to be prepared. To be alert is an asset. So, when Dale and Bobbi asked if we wanted to accompany them to Piccolino’s in Eagle River, I found I was unaware of Piccolino’s, not at all. So much for being prepared, being alert! In my defense I have to add that it was once just a little storefront establishment, in a set-back mini-strip mall, next to a variety of come and go businesses. Over about six years they have grown, adding a store in Wasilla and now expanding into the remainder of the little mini-mall. A new and bright sign make the restaurant more visible. Others have been more alert and have noticed Piccolino’s. The adequate parking lot fills quickly during the evening hours.
Piccolino’s advertises itself as a Greek and Italian restaurant. They also offer a breakfast menu featuring traditional breakfast items, a luncheon menu and a dinner menu. I haven’t seen the breakfast and luncheon menus but they are available on the Piccolino’s web site, www.piccolinos.net . I did, during this meal, order from the dinner menu.
They have done extensive renovation and added many aesthetic touches. Columns flanking the entry have miniature fountains. Signature bas relief vines and grapes adorn the walls. A choice of either tables and chairs or booths is available. The lighting is subdued, the restrained colors coordinated, and the background noise is low making dinner table conversation easy. It all makes for a pleasant dining place.
The menu is several pages. Besides offering Greek and Italian specialties, they offer pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, seafood and a children’s (and seniors) menu. There was enough variety that selection took awhile. So many good things to try…
Bobbi ordered the Athenian Eggplant ($18.95). Described in the menu as, “Deep fried breaded eggplant topped with feta,
mozzarella, sautéed spinach, 
mushrooms, onion, and tomato cream sauce. Served over garlic mashed potatoes.” A colorful dish with lots of different flavors. Bobbi enjoyed her selection saying that was was very good and would certainly be considered again at a later date.Dale ordered the Olympian Chicken ($17.95). Described as, “Chicken breast charbroiled with Mediterranean herbs. Topped with olive oil and garlic lemon sauce. Served over Greek spaghetti.” Daled ordered from the menu description, not certain what he had ordered. He described it as very good, very flavorful and he ate it with gusto.
My wife, Janis, ordered a Calzone ($14.95). Her selection was a meat calzone described as, “Pizza sauce, pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, and mozzarella. Served with meat sauce.” A large, nicely browned crust, it was served with a side dish of marinara meat sauce for dipping. The crust was tender and the calzone filled with sauce and meat, certainly no skimping on the filling. She enjoyed it very much and it ranked with other calzones that got her on the habit. It was large enough that half of it came home in a “doggie bag.”After long deliberation, I chose the Chicken Parmigiano ($15.95). Described as, “Lightly breaded and sautéed with garlic, olive oil and
white wine. Oven baked with 
mozzarella and marinara. Served with spaghetti.” If you wish antipasto salad, you have to order that separately. For most of the dishes, Greek and Italian, a salad is extra ($3.50). Three of us ordered the salad. It was a nice mixed salad, not to large but adequate. The lettuce is crisp, with bits of carrot and cabbage, with tomato wedges and sliced ripe olives. A choice of vinaigrette, Ranch or 1000 Island dressing is served on the side.My chicken Parmigiano was excellent. The flattened chicken breast was well cooked. Although I used my knife, I could easily cut the chicken with a fork. Very flavorful with from the cooking with garlic and wine, it was even better with the smooth texture of the mozzarella and the slight bite of the marinara sauce. I enjoyed the meal and, unfortunately for the dog, there were no left-overs to go home.
Piccolino’s has a wine list that offers a lot of selections. We chose this day to pass on the wine. The ladies opted for iced tea and lemon water. Dale and I chose colas. The serving staff keeps the glasses, water a
nd soda, filled for you. 
Everyone, including myself, was quite full from dinner and had already decided that we didn’t want any dessert. Then the server came to the table with a tray and samples of the Piccolino’s dessert selection. Janis and I held firm but Dale and Bobbi just couldn’t turn it down. Bobbi ordered a cheesecake ($6.50) and Dale selected a canola ($6.50). The dessert chef took great care to decorate the plates with chocolate and flavored syrups. Each enjoyed their dessert, saying that it was very good.
The servers were all very friendly and seemed to be glad to have you as a customer. Except for a slight delay in the arrival of the salad, arriving only moments before the entrée, all seemed to be smoothly orchestrated. Certainly, Piccolino’s will be on the list for a revisit one day soon.
Piccolino’s offers call-in take out and some local delivery.
Normal operating hours (extended during the long summer daylight hours) are
Monday – Thursday 11AM to 9 PM
Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 10 PM
Sunday 7 AM to 9 PM
Breakfast Menu, 7 – 11, Lunch Menu, 11 - 4
Labels: Alaska, Eagle River, Feola's. Italian, Greek, pasta, Piccolino's, seafood
¶ 9:33 PM 0 Comments
