We were looking for a change of pace and decided Italian would be the way to go. A recent thread on the Nextdoor App told us that many people in the area liked the food at Rotelli Pizza and Pasta. We looked up the closest location and found one at a nearby strip mall. Because it is located in a strip mall, parking is like any strip mall. Some areas of the small parking lot were busy while others were open. We had no issues parking but wonder if post-COVID if it will be the same. 

First impression is that it is a restaurant in a strip mall. A basic place with a few tables and many booths. There is a hostess stand at the door where you wait to be seated. There is also a pizza counter toward the back on the left where they make the pizzas and people coming in for take out pizza go to pick it up. This area seemed busy the entire time we were in the building but it was not taking away from our dining experience. That being said, we were seated in a booth on the other side of the restaurant. I am not sure how it would have felt if we were sitting closer to that area. 

We were seated immediately. The restaurant was following the local protocols for cleaning, distancing, and mask wearing. We did not see any staff or guests not wearing masks when moving about the restaurant. The hostess was pleasant enough and our server was excellent. He was attentive and able to give us some input about the ingredients in the dishes we were considering. He also made some suggestive selling efforts in a non intrusive and appropriate way. We over tipped because he was a great server. 

The menu was extensive and had many options available. We noticed that one of the beverage options was San Pellegrino water. This is not available in many places and it was appreciated. The soup of the day was Cream of Carrot soup. If I did not have my mind on a more filling dish, I would have tried this. I hope it will be available again when I return. The dinners come with a choice of soup or salad. I chose the salad for a lighter option and the ability to eat my greens. It was a typical restaurant salad and came with a choice of dressings. I chose the house balsamic vinaigrette.  

We ordered the Veal Parmesan and the Meat Lasagna. The portions of both were large. The veal was very good. It was more saucy than expected but the flavors were done right. The lasagna was very cheesy and put together well. The meat was a crumbly style and did not overpower the rest of the flavors. Even though I don’t eat much meat anymore, I would order this again. It was a great restaurant lasagna. We also had the garlic rolls which had a nice amount of garlic and were baked with the right amount of crunch outside and a tasty soft middle. 

The portions were big enough that we both brought half of our entrees home to enjoy another day. Because the rest of the food was so good, we opted to get the dessert as well. The Milky Way Chocolate Cake was really good and something that would be considered again in the future. The strawberry cheesecake was also something to get again on a future visit. 

We really enjoyed our meal here and want to return. The next time we come, we will try the pizza. Other future meals will likely be from the regular menu but due to the higher prices, the visits will be limited to special occasions. It is really too expensive to go on a regular basis even though the food was great.