THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 25, 1994 TAG: 9409220182
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Long : 114 lines
There's a certain something that separates great Italian restaurants from Chef Boy Ardee, just as there's something that puts Frank Sinatra head-and-shoulders above a bad lounge act.
Talent, of course, is a given. But what makes the greats really shine, whether they're making veal parmesan or singing ``New York, New York,'' is style, with a capital S.
There is a restaurant in Kill Devil Hills that has style by the boatload: Impacciatore's at Sea Holly Square across from the Ramada Inn.
Diners who take one step inside Impacciatore's are instantly embraced by the warm aromas of garlic-laden Italian cooking. In an instant, it is like being in the kitchen of Maxine Impacciatore Rossman's grandmother.
``These are all recipes my grandmother used to make in South Philadelphia,'' she says.
On a recent evening, we sampled some of Maxine's South Philly dishes, and the food was a joy to behold. Impacciatore's has managed to conjure up the perfect combination of great food, a warm, comfortable atmosphere and first-rate service, all at a reasonable price.
First, we sampled a couple of appetizers: the soup of the day, a beef and bean soup in a rich beef and tomato broth, and mushrooms parmesan.
The soup was brought to the table piping hot and had a hearty flavor. One of our dinner companions noted that the soup would be especially wonderful as a main meal on a deep winter's night. Accompanied by Impacciatore's hot homemade bread, the soup was a great starter.
The bread deserves special mention. Brought to the table warm from the oven, the fat-free bread is made using Grandmother Impacciatore's recipe. One word of caution: Don't bother asking for the recipe, it's a trade secret. Just take our word for it, the bread is wonderful.
For entrees, we decided to sample the veal parmesan, the mixed grill, and one of the nightly specials, the Beef Pepe Nero.
The veal was lightly breaded and covered in a delicious tomato sauce and melted parmesan cheese. The sauce and the cheese complemented the veal, which was not weighed down by the breading.
The mixed grill included two large skewers, one packed with shrimp, peppers and onions, the other with scallops, peppers, and onions. Often, a mixed grill done as a kabob is more vegetables than seafood. But these kabobs included six large shrimp and six large scallops. The entree was cooked to perfection.
The Beef Pepe Nero is a thick filet, cooked in a magical mixture of cracked peppercorns and marsala wine. Our companion ordered his steak rare, and that's exactly what he got. ``It was cooked just the way I like it,'' he said. We sampled the beef and found it tender and flavorful. Chef Steve Duffy did an outstanding job with all of our entrees.
Main courses at Impacciatore's include pasta topped with a choice of marinara sauce, meat sauce, garlic and oil, garlic and butter, or clam sauce. The pasta is served in an ample portion on a separate dish.
We sampled the butter and garlic and the meat sauce on our pasta dishes. The butter and garlic sauce was well made, and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The meat sauce was good. The only criticism is that the sauce was a tad sweet for our tastes. It's a matter of personal choice.
As a side dish, two of us chose the vegetable of the day, a mixture of sauteed squash and carrots, done in a light garlic and butter sauce. The vegetables were a nice addition to the entree, but it was almost more than we could eat.
Our other companion chose the garden salad with blue cheese dressing. It was fresh and crisp, and the homemade dressing was excellent.
A bottle of chianti provided just the right touch for our meal.
Two of us opted for dessert. One had the ice cream pie, with an Oreo cookie crust, vanilla ice cream, a raspberry sauce center and more vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate shavings.
The other dessert choice was Tiramasu - Italian for ``A pick-me-up.'' The dessert is lady fingers dipped in espresso and layered with Marscapone cheese. The dessert was sweet, light and fluffy.
As a finale, two of us chose coffee, the perfect ending to a great dining experience. As one of our dinner companions put it, ``We ate everything but the pattern on the plate.''
The atmosphere at Impacciatore's was comfortable. One of our companions remarked that even the tables and chairs were the perfect height. The music of Harry Connick Jr., George Gershwin and Antonio Vivaldi provided a perfect backdrop to a great meal.
Dinner for three was $75.39, excluding tip.
Impacciatore's opened in November, 1993.
``I felt there was a niche that needed to be filled on the Outer Banks,'' Rossman said of her decision to open the cozy Italian restaurant. ``It's a nice change of pace to have a small, quiet place.''
Rossman, whose grandparents immigrated to America from Italy, borrowed her grandmother's family recipes and incorporated them into the restaurant.
``We want to give people plenty of food, and we want to do it right,'' she said. ``That's what we try to do here.''
There's no doubt about it. Impacciatore's has found its niche, and is filling it with style. ILLUSTRATION: IMPACCIATORE'S
Where: Sea Holly Square at milepost 9.5 across from the Ramada
Inn on the Beach Road in Kill Devil Hills.
Phone: (919) 441-1533.
Hours: Lunch, Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: Tuesday through Saturday 5:30 to 9;30 p.m.
Prices: Entrees $8.95 to $13.95.
Children's Menu: Anything on the menu available in child's
portions at half price.
Smoking: Smoking is not allowed in the restaurant, but it is
permitted on the patio.
Drinks: Soft drinks, juices, iced tea, coffee, cappucino, caffe
mocha, caffe latte, espresso, beer and wine.
Credit Cards: Visa and MasterCard.
Takeout: Available. Call ahead.
Reservations: Suggested, but not required.
Accessibility: Handicapped accessible.
by CNB