#53 - Patrizio's - Highland Village, TX

Mary and I were going to stay in central Dallas on our way down to Tyler, and meet some friends for drinks & dinner.  However, it eventually ended up just being Joni and Tony, so we stayed in Flower Mound.  After some discussion on what kind of food we all wanted, we decided to go to Patrizio's.  It's located in Highland Village, in the same area as Blue Goose Cantina that I reviewed in an earlier post. 

Patrizio's isn't necessarily upscale, but it definitely has that feel.  Dark wood floors and some wall paneling, nice paintings hung on the wall, plush white seating, and a wall of wine bottles.  It was a beautiful evening, so we sat out on the patio.  It's a great outdoor area, with seating for about 50 people, wrought iron tables and chairs, and ceiling fans.  About 2/3 of the patio is covered, and there are big umbrellas for the areas out in the direct sunlight.  I can imagine on a super hot day that it might not be ideal, but there was a breeze coming across so that, along with the fans and umbrellas, would definitely be a huge help.

We started with the focaccia bread.  It was fantastic, but I forgot to take a picture.  I did, however, remember to take one of my house salad...without olives.

It was a basic salad, but I really liked that it included shredded beets.  I don't eat them often, because when you peel them your hands are red for days, unless you remember to put on gloves.  But they added a great flavor.  I had the house dressing, which was delicious.

For dinner I actually remembered to take pictures of everyone's dishes, and even tasted them all.  I can't remember what Tony's dish was, but here's a picture anyway

Joni had the Bucatoni Rustici (sorry for the fuzzy picture)

Large Hollow Spaghettoni with Roasted Leeks, Sweet Sausage and Parmesan Alfredo Sauce

Mary had the grilled chicken salad

Sliced Breast of Grilled Chicken Mixed with Lettuces, Hearts of Palm, Artichoke Hearts, Red Bell Pepper, Crisp Bacon, Toasted Almonds, Croutons and Romano Cheese. Tossed in Our House Dressing and Topped with Accent Pesto

And finally, I had the Conchiglie Con Spinaci

Shell Pasta Tossed with Spinach, Smoked Bacon, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
in a Robust Alla Panna Sauce

Everything was absolutely delicious!!  The only thing that would have made it better is if the pasta was homemade.  I know that a couple of their pastas are homemade, but unfortunately ours weren't.  But in the grand scheme of things, that wasn't a big deal.  My dish was amazing.  The shells were huge.  The alla panna sauce had a definite kick, but it wasn't overpowering.  The combination of flavors went really well together.  The portions were large, but not overwhelming.  Leftovers weren't an option since we were traveling the next day, so I ate most of it.  I had to sacrifice a few shells, but that's okay. 

Will I go back?  No question.  And I'm hoping that next time I can sit on the patio again.  It was great people watching, and a really good atmosphere.