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Paravicini's Italian Bistro ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado


Last visit: Jun 2022

First visit: Aug 2018

This was only the RJG's second visit to Paravicini's, the first with Mrs. RJG a few months after moving back to Colorado Springs. We had noticed it on our semi annual trips here, but never ventured in until then. We thought it was pretty good, but wanted a chance to return. Almost 4 years have gone by, and now that moment has finally happened.

Joining me for lunch on this day was the Tampa Pound, as it's been a couple of months since our last outing at The Public House. Needed to catch him up on my latest new job situation, and I asked him to choose a place. Perfect, I've been wanting go back!

He had real work to do in the afternoon, so he had a flavored tea of some sort. I went for the craft beer menu (since I'm still an unemployed bum - for 2 more weeks anyway), which is pretty limited. Stuck with one of my favorite Colorado Springs beers - Bristol's Laughing Lab, a Scottish Ale, a style no one else makes anymore. They brought out a very nice large piece of Italian seasoned bread. We each doctored up our plate with oil, vinegar, and pepper. Good start! For lunch, I went with my staple Chicken Parm. Comes with penne and a red sauce. And I added a Caesar salad. On the plus side, the salad was very good with an excellent dressing, and the parm was crisped perfectly. On the downside, the penne was a tad overcooked, the sauce is kind of bland, and the worst of it is that it wasn't hot. While the parm was at the right temperature, the pasta was warm. Big no-no in the RJG world. The Tampa Pound had a vegetarian rigatoni dish (Rigatoni Carmella as I see from their online menu). He ate about half of it and did not ask for a box. Said it was good, and I do know he's a light eater, so it's hard to say if his meal was a hit or miss. 

Unfortunately this experience mirrors our last visit 4 years ago. Fear to say, this isn't the best Italian restaurant in town. Which is really a pity, because the location is perfect. Sits in Old Colorado City, and it's an authentically old building that has been renovated. Great ambience. Maybe I'll try it again for lunch, and stick with a Italian sausage sandwich or something similar.

8/26/18; 6/22/22 (new entry)

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