Get Hungry for Italian During Binghamton Restaurant Week

I can't even begin to tell you how much Italian food I consumed during the early part of my pregnancy. You'd think that I would be sick of it since I devoured it so often, but come on...Italian is so good that I just don't understand how anyone could get tired of it.

Before Christmas last year, my co-workers threw me a surprise baby shower at Little Venice in Binghamton and since then (literally), I’ve been craving their food. But a little thing called ‘life’ happened and time slipped away and although I’ve driven by dozens of times, the timing was all wrong to stop in for a meal. Until yesterday.

Let me start by explaining that if you’re looking for authentic Italian food, Little Venice is the place for you. They’ve been in business for almost 70 years and a locally owned restaurant doesn’t accomplish that by putting out terrible tasting food or having awful service.

As part of Binghamton Restaurant Week, Little Venice is offering a three course meal for only $12 for lunch and just $20 for dinner and a portion of the proceeds go to the Animal Care Council and to CHOW- Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse.

My husband and I packed up our little guy and went on a family date to Little Venice for lunch yesterday. My meal started with an appetizer of caprese, which is fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes and basil seasoned with salt, black pepper and olive oil- one of my favorite things to eat.

For my main course, I enjoyed chicken cutlet parmigiana, which is a boneless chicken cutlet lightly breaded and baked with mozzarella and topped with house made tomato sauce. Can we just pause to talk about their tomato sauce? People love it so much that do a Google search on it, you’ll discover some people have attempted to create knock off recipes. I have a love hate relationship with tomato sauce because sometimes it can be a bit acidic and hurts my throat, but Little Venice’s sauce has a hint of sweet to it and doesn’t rip up my throat. I closed out my meal with a canoli for dessert, because how could I go to an Italian restaurant and not?

My poor husband is allergic to dairy, so that fact he agreed to go on a date with me to a place that showcases so many menu items that incorporate dairy shows just how much he loves me. Jay’s meal started with bruschetta which is toasted Italian bread topped with diced tomato, extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. For his main dish, Jay enjoyed the dairy free chicken pizzaioli, a chicken breast sautéed in olive oil and wine with mushrooms and served with green beans. For dessert, he ordered a canoli and gave it to me. See, I told you...love!

See what else Little Venice is offering as part of their special Restaurant Week menu as well as what other local restaurants are offering here.