Have you ever driven past Luigi’s on a
Monday night and wondered what they’re
doing to get that parking lot so full? Ed and Ellen Piedmont, owners of Luigi’s Pizzeria &
Italian Restaurant, figured out early on that half-off
pizzas will bring the masses every time. Even in these
difficult economic times, Luigi’s packs in customers by
offering great dinner specials almost every night of the
week and hearty portions that families can share.
As my guest and I were shown to our table by our
friendly waitress, Samantha, I noticed pictures of Frank
Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. on the walls.
After a never-ending day at work and a long drive in the
rain, I was so happy to finally sit down and have a nice
quiet evening with my friend…and the Rat Pack.
Before our appetizers came out, we sipped on Lambrusco and Ellen’s famous white Russians. The garlic bread, a must at any Italian restaurant, came to our table glistening with homemade garlic butter and Italian herbs. The bread was soft, chewy and fresh out of the oven. I hear you can order it with extra garlic butter on the side, and while I was tempted, I decided not to ask for more for the sake of anyone whom I talked to later that night. When the calamari arrived at our table, I was first impressed with the portion size and then equally impressed with how soft and tender the meat was, not tough and chewy like you may have had at some chain restaurants. I also love how they included the tentacles, unlike so many other restaurants that seem too afraid to add the little noodley appendages.
Along with the calamari, we were served Luigi’s version of Italian bruschetta: crunchy slices of Italian bread topped with melted provolone cheese and a tangy, sweet tomato relish with a hint of balsamic vinegar and fresh basil. Although not exactly authentic Italian bruschetta, the tomato relish was a welcome change to the plain tomatoes and herbs that traditionally make up the dish. And in my opinion, you just can’t go wrong with melted provolone cheese!
Just as we finished off the calamari and bruschetta, the biggest plate of antipasti I’ve ever seen arrived at our table. The phrases “Oh my gosh!” and “No way!” were muttered as we tried to figure out the best way to tackle the massive plate of ham, salami, capocolla, provolone, mozzarella, lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, peperoncini, the kitchen sink and a copy of the Declaration of Independence all topped off with Luigi’s homemade Italian dressing. I love Luigi’s dressing. It was flavorful and had the right proportions of oil to vinegar. I also loved how the mozzarella was wrapped in the ham, and the salami decorated the top of the salad like little rosettes. If you plan on ordering the large, bring the family; it’ll take everyone in your party to finish it off!
Since Luigi’s is famous for its pizzas, we ordered the large works pie. Pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, red onions, sausage, meatballs and ham make this pie phenomenal. Everyone’s taste in pizza is a little different — some folks like thick crust while others prefer thin, and some people love a saucy pie while others like a sparse coating of marinara. Well, I’m one of those saucy girls, and although the works pie didn’t have as much tomatoey goodness as I like, I merely dipped my pizza in the extra marinara they provide on the side. At Luigi’s, everybody wins!
One of my go-to Italian dinners is eggplant parmigiana. For some
reason I fool myself into believing that because there’s no meat in
it, it must be good for me. Unfortunately my trainer at the gym is
not on board with my way of thinking. I decided to splurge anyway
and try out the breaded, lightly fried eggplant, layered and topped
with fresh-made marinara and melted, lightly browned mozzarella
cheese with a side of spaghetti. Even though I felt a little guilty, I
sure did enjoy it!
Our last entrée of the evening was Luigi’s Special: sweet shrimp, sautéed chicken, sausage, veal, onions, broccoli, celery, green peppers and mushrooms in a basil cream sauce over penne pasta. All I can say is, “Wow!” Like most other meals at Luigi’s, this was meant to be shared, and maybe even enjoyed the next day as leftovers. After garlic bread, calamari, bruschetta, antipasti, pizza and eggplant parmigiana, there was no way my friend and I could finish off the dish, so with some help from Samantha, we boxed up the rest of the special, along with some leftovers from our other dishes, and brought them to my friends at Fire Station 1, who enjoyed everything as much as we did.
At the end of the evening, David, the manager, sat down with us and chatted about what makes Luigi’s special to Charlotte County. He said that after Hurricane Charley, the Piedmonts distributed pizzas to whoever needed food since their kitchen was still in working order. They also continuously participate in local fund-raising efforts and charities. According to Samantha, who has worked there for 10 years, they’re also great bosses. A look at their to-go menu advertises the local businesses they support. Great food aside, Luigi’s is just another example of what I love about Charlotte County: the little restaurants that give back to the community. Luigi’s is located at 3883 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte. They are open Monday–Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call them at (941) 624-3535. HARBOR STYLE would like to thank manager David Coffee, owners Ed and Ellen Piedmont and their staff for providing our reviewer with such a fantastic evening.
Luigi’s Special
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In a preheated sauté pan, melt butter to coat the pan. Lightly dust chicken and veal strips with flour and add to pan and begin to brown on one side. Add shrimp to the pan. Once the shrimp begins to turn pink, add sausage. Once chicken and veal is browned, turn over all the meat and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over penne pasta. |
