Maggiano’s Little Italy

Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant Review:

White linens and dark woods give Maggiano’s an upscale ambience, but with a menu that encourages sharing, the spacious restaurant can seem more like a noisy family dining room. It is located close to the convention center, and the crowd ranges from businessmen ordering thick steaks to vacationing families enjoying big platters of spaghetti, chicken cacciatore or eggplant Parmesan. It’s easy to fill up on appetizers; go ahead and make them your meal. Favorites include crisp fried calamari or zucchini fritte, spicy Tuscan-style steamed mussels, Italian sausage and peppers, and chicken and roasted pepper flatbread. Big appetites will get their fill with huge plates of classic dishes like baked ziti with Italian sausage; lasagna with crumbled meatballs, sausage and ricotta; salmon Oscar with jumbo lump crab; and beef tenderloin medallions. For a lighter meal, stick to linguine and clams in red sauce or spaghetti marinara. Order a glass of wine (more than a dozen by the glass) or share a bottle. Just save room for a taste of Nonna’s toasted pound cake with hot fudge and caramelized bananas.