MARYSVILLE — The first things you need to know about Cristiano’s in Marysville are that it is popular and it is small. Do some simple math and it’s clear this adds up to long waits for a table.
The wait, though, turns out to be worth it, if you enjoy reasonably priced, simple Italian food.
When my husband and I showed up, we weren’t surprised to see a large crowd waiting for tables. We added our name to the list and settled in for the predicted 30-minute wait. After a few minutes, we noticed our neighbors had wine. That looked good. We asked the hostess and she cheerfully brought us a glass, which we sipped while waiting.
The crowd at Cristiano’s seems to be used to the setup. Everyone seemed cheerful and relaxed. If you’re not interested in waiting, though, try going at lunch or early in the evening.
Cristiano’s menu is simple. It includes salads, appetizers, pizzas, calzones and pasta dishes.
We didn’t want a pasta entree, so we ordered some fried cheese ravioli as an appetizer. They were ready quickly and were served with a pesto aioli and marinara ($5.95). The serving was generous. The ravioli were tasty, simple but hearty and filling. I would have preferred them to be a little warmer, so the cheese was more melted, but we ate them all anyway.
After a long discussion with my husband, I decided on the special of the day, a mimosa salad. It came with dried cranberries, pistachios, gorgonzola and a creamy dressing with a balsamic vinegar base ($5.25). The salad was simple, tasty and more than worth the price.
As we were deciding on a pizza, Jerry asked, “What’s panschuuuta?”
“Pancetta,” I said. “It’s like baco…”
Before I even finished he said, “Let’s get that.”
We did.
His instincts were right. The pizza rustica was the star of the night. It comes with pancetta, fresh basil, onions, tomatoes and asiago cheese ($7.75 to $17.25, depending on size). We went with the standard thicker crust and loved it. The thick, slightly chewy texture was perfect, almost like a really good breadstick. You can also request a thin crust pizza, but I recommend the standard crust.
Several other pizzas also caught my eye. Next time I think I’ll give the garlic chicken or pesto chicken a try. You can also create your own pizza or your own calzone. The pasta selection is small, just chicken fettucine, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and three-cheese ravioli.
Throughout the meal, the service was quick and friendly. Even though the restaurant was busy, the server never seemed stressed or rushed. Also, despite a lot of people in the building, the restaurant was never overly loud.
The dessert selections vary, but the night we were there, the offerings included coconut cheesecake ($2.50), New York cheesecake ($2.95), gelato ($2.50), burnt cream ($2.95) and tiramisu ($3.50).
We split a burnt cream. It was delicious and, again, the serving was generous. The texture was lovely and silky and the crispy sugar layer made a satisfying crack as we broke through it with our spoons.
As we left, with leftovers, we berated ourselves for not trying this restaurant earlier. It’s a local favorite, and now we understand why.
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