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LIFE & ARTS

Ciro's offers a full plate of variety 

Comfortable Italian eatery offers quality food and pleasant atmosphere, making it one of city's best

by JOHN-MICHAEL HAINES 
The Daily Cougar

With excellent food, atmosphere and service, Ciro's Italian Grill is a major contenders for the best Italian restaurant in Houston.

Home to some of the best cheese ravioli in the city, Ciro's executes the dish to perfection. It is prepared from scratch, stuffed with a blend of sharp and mild Italian cheeses then cooked until slightly firm. Two of the most popular Italian sauces -- alfredo and tomato -- are combined in essence to form the tomato cream sauce with little bits of beef that accompanies the ravioli. 

It lends both the tangy taste of the tomato and the creamy smoothness of the alfredo to the pasta. This brings out the perfect texture of the ravioli and the stuffing while still effectively bringing all the flavors together. The dish is very affordable at $10. A word of caution, however: It can be heavy on the stomach.

The Pollo Monarati, which is chicken sauteed in a white wine butter sauce with red onions, mushrooms and artichoke hearts, has a satisfyingly light flavor that relies more on a delicate balance than on any one ingredient. Fresh herbs are cooked right into the chicken, effectively locking them into the stock that mixes with the wine and butter. This makes the meat incredibly juicy and tender, which makes the mushrooms an ideal match in texture. Garlic mashed potatoes are a welcome side and at $14, it's also priced reasonably.

Sure to make any date happy, Ciro's has an original take on the ever-popular chocolate mousse. The restaurant pairs two different kinds -- white and dark chocolate -- and pours them side-by-side in a deep parfait glass. The dark has the bitter, sensual taste of the cocoa; the white possesses a sweet, silky taste are delicious. 

The atmosphere is warm and made intimate by the welcoming staff that tends to your every need. Strategically painted walls give the pleasant illusion of the main room being much larger than it is and alludes to the landscapes of Italy. The bar is made of marble and just behind it is a brick oven that enables guests to watch the chef bake. 

The prices are very low considering the quality of food and service, and parking is never a problem.

Please send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu