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Business & Tech

Napoli Italian Restaurant - A Review

Redlands Boulevard establishment serves fresh, flavorful food at reasonable prices

Napoli Italian Restaurant may be tucked away in a nondescript strip mall off of busy Redlands Boulevard, but it serves up zesty Italian fare at reasonable prices.

I recently enjoyed a lunch at Napoli, along with some friends. We found the service to be friendly and efficient, the taste flavorful, and the portions generous.

We began with an appetizer of calamari fritti for $7.95. Despite the fact that the breaded calamari were fried, they were not greasy and tasted delicious dunked into the side of marinara sauce. There were both rings and pieces of squid with the legs still intact - for those with an aversion, try asking if just rings are available. While the breading seemed to be a bit heavy handed, it was still a hit.

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Most entrees come with a choice of soup or salad. We opted for salads, which were crisp and came with cucumber and tomatoes. All tables receive garlic bread baskets; our pieces were slightly dry, but still had a sharp, garlicky taste.

For our main courses, we selected the stuffed eggplant ($11.95), pepperoni pizza ($11.50) and gnocchi ($11.50). The stuffed eggplant was lightly breaded, then filled with sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and ricotta cheese, and topped with melted mozzarella. Served with a side of penne pasta with a light marinara, this was more than enough for one person. The eggplant slices were long and thin, but stuffed full of the delicious mixture of grilled vegetables and cheese. The marinara sauce on the penne was slightly acidic, but for an additional price a different sauce can be substituted. Next time, I’d go with an olive oil and garlic or pesto sauce.

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The pizza was served piping hot, with bubbling cheese and several handfuls of pepperoni. The crust was on the thinner side, but was still substantial. Each bite had a good ratio of cheese, pepperoni and crust - the key to a good piece of pizza. With eight slices, this would definitely be enough for two people to share, especially with a side salad that could be added to the pizza for $2.50. Other pizza offerings include pizza pesto, pizza con frutta di mare (with shrimp, scallops and calamari) and pizza mozzarella di bufala.

The gnocchi -  tiny pillows made of potato - comes with either gorgonzola, marinara or pesto sauce. I opted for half gorgonzola and half pesto, which made for a heavier dish. The gorgonzola was creamy and the pesto a bit on the oily side, but both complemented the pasta, which was a touch airy and very tasty. 

The menu is vast, with seafood, poultry, veal and vegetarian dishes. In fact, there is a substantial amount of vegetarian dishes, from fettucine primavera to Caesar salad. For kids, there are a few selections - spaghetti with various sauces, ravioli and baked lasagna. We were too full to try dessert, but there’s plenty to choose from - offerings include tiramisu, cheesecake and ice cream.

The lunch and dinner menus are almost exactly the same, with sandwiches (including meatball parmigiana, sausage parmigiana and Italian cold sub) only served at lunch. The atmosphere is usually the same during all meals - quiet, with most diners talking lightly, barely competing with the music playing in the background. There’s a lot to take in when it comes to decor - there are angels, vines, statues and paintings everywhere, illuminated by twinkling lights. The lights are dimmed at dinnertime, making it a romantic spot for a date.

With its decent prices and plentiful portions, Napoli is a nice choice for an Italian dinner out. While the food isn’t life changing, it is flavorful and hits the spot when a craving for Italian comfort food strikes.

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