MOUNT VERNON — When it opened a couple of decades ago, Pacioni’s Italian Restaurant was a gastronomic anomaly for Skagit County. It sold handmade Neopolitan-style pizzas to eaters accustomed to the greasy-cheezy things churned out by the corporate pizza dispensaries and their hordes of imitators.
Sometimes, happily, quality finds a foothold. After ownership changes and a couple of recessions, Pacioni’s is still in business at the same location, serving pretty much the same pizzas, calzones and pasta dishes.
After not visiting Pacioni’s for a number of years, we dropped by on a recent Saturday evening. The place is on Mount Vernon’s main street in the heart of downtown. In the unlikely event you can’t find parking on the street, don’t panic; there’s ample free parking one block to the west on the revetment alongside the Skagit River.
Surveying the half-full dining area, we chose a table for two by the front window. It would be a great place for people-watching if there were people on the street in downtown Mount Vernon at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday. After noting the minuteslong intervals between passersby, we started dinner with a spring mix salad in the larger of two sizes to share ($8.95), which included a couple of slices of grilled good-quality bread, and was accompanied by a glass of red wine.
Our server had to be reminded to first bring us water and then a couple of plates for the salad, but she rebounded both times with prompt, enthusiastic courtesy.
Later on, when we wanted to switch from an insipid Washington merlot for our second glass of wine, we took her suggestion: a peppery Italian red off the restaurant’s short, affordable list (all glasses $8 or less). It was an excellent choice.
On to the main course. Pacioni’s offers about 18 pizza varieties in three sizes: 10 inches ($9.95), 12 inches ($15.95) and 16 inches ($22.95). Or you can custom-order a pie from a list of ingredients. The list of familiar pasta dishes include made-to-order lasagna ($14.95) spaghetti with house-made marinara and house-made meatballs ($13.95) and fettucince alfredo ($13.95).
Also on the menu are five types of calzones ($13.95 and $14.95) and, for ligher appetites, 8-inch rounds of flatbread topped with your choice of herbs, cheeses and olives ($8.95).
The place also posts nightly specials, and that’s what we ordered. The pizza special ($15.95 for a 12-incher) used olive oil instead of marinara for the base. That was topped with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms and tomatoes. The thin crust was crisp on the edges, while the center was almost pastry-like. The 12-inch pie was too much food even for me to finish, so a slice went home for Sunday lunch.
The other special was a dish of chicken piccata with capers, alongside zucchini and spinach and a creamy — not gummy — gorgonzola risotto ($16.95). The dish was rich, nicely seasoned and flavorful.
Our filling main courses meant there was no room for dessert — a berry cobbler ($5.95), a spumoni sundae ($4.95) or a root beer float made with Thomas Kemper root beer ($3.95).
Pacioni’s also offers a lunch service, popular with government workers at the nearby county courthouse and Mount Vernon City Hall.
After dinner, we walked off some of the calories on the empty streets of Mount Vernon. Fact is, there are good reasons to venture downtown after the government workers go home for the day, and exhibit A is the good food and agreeable atmosphere at Pacioni’s. After 20 years, it qualifies for, and deserves, landmark status.
Mark Carlson: carlson@heraldnet.com, 425-339-3457
Pacioni’s Italian Restaurant
606 South First St., Mount Vernon; 360-336-3314; www.pacionis.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Specialty: Pizza
Meatless options: Yes
Alcohol: Beer and wine
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