Papa Vino's on Centerpoint in Pontiac satisfies the desire for authentic Italian restaurant food at a price much less than expected.
Entrées
With fresh ground pepper, sautéed garlic, and olive oil, these dinners do not disappoint. The food is tasty and filling. Papa Vino’s offers more entrées under ten dollars than most Italian restaurants in the area.
The alfredo sauce is a good, thinner, cream sauce with a nice peppery bite. Mushroom lovers keep an eye out for the wild mushroom fettuccine with fresh spinach.
Starters
Bread: Meals come with fresh warm bread and olive oil dipping sauce. The best part about the bread is that it comes warm, but the real treat here is that the olive oil with herbs comes poured over sautéed minced garlic allowing the dipper to take as much or as little garlic as desired.
The bruschetta comes nice and toasted with fresh parmesan shredded over top, but the bread in the bottom quickly becomes soggy with too much balsamic vinegar overpowering the other ingredients. The meals don't come with a salad or soup, but at the price it's worth it to get one for extra if that's desired.
Experience
The servers are nice and prompt even during busy hours. The interior is nice stone and private with well place wine racks. Be careful of throwing a curve ball at the servers, because while they happily make dishes to order, some of them aren’t prepared to offer suggestions.
Papa Vino's offers a wine tasting where they bring 4 small wine glasses each with a different kind to try also at a reasonable price.
Looking for another inexpensive Italian restaurant? Try East Side Mario’s a few miles down on Crooks. For a fancier experience, head to Andiamo in downtown Rochester.
The Best: The sauces and full flavors
The Worst: The balsamic vinegar on the bruschetta
Food Taste: 8
Food Quality: 8
Food Quantity: 8
Service: 7
Cleanliness: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Options: Vegetarian, full bar
Dinner Prices: $10-15. most entrées around $12.
Website: http://www.qdi.com/papavinos/papavinos.htm
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