Undercover Diner Visits Milano's

Last Friday, my friends and I headed to Milano's for a Galentine’s dinner, and it is a good thing we planned ahead. The place was packed.

Our reservation was for 7:30 p.m., but with Valentine’s weekend in full swing and Milano’s hosting a candlelight dinner special, we were not seated until about 8. The slight wait was understandable. The lights were dimmed, candles flickered on every table, and the whole restaurant glowed with a warm, romantic ambiance.

Once we sat down, the impatience quickly disappeared. Our waiter was funny, attentive, and wonderfully on top of everything despite the rush. He kept the mood light and the wine flowing — two bottles of red for the table — and made sure we never ran out of the real star of the evening: the rolls.

Let’s talk about the rolls. Yeasty. Chewy. Perfectly golden. They pull apart in soft, steamy layers that practically demand to be slathered in butter. We devoured basket after basket until our waiter finally (and graciously) brought us a bag to take home. I could have made a meal out of those alone.

For entrées, there was a little bit of everything around the table. My friend and I both ordered the steak frites — hers cooked medium, mine medium rare — and both arrived exactly as requested. The steaks were tender and flavorful with a beautiful sear, and the fries were crisp and addictive. 

Another friend opted for the chicken piccata, a dish she said has been on the original menu for years. The chicken was tender and juicy, bright with lemon and briny capers, all coated in a silky white wine butter sauce. Served over angel hair pasta, it was tangy, comforting and perfectly balanced.

The overnight short ribs also earned rave reviews. Slow-cooked and deeply flavorful, they were paired with fingerling potatoes, carrots, bacon, and mushrooms.

For something lighter, one friend chose the grilled yellowfin tuna, plated with pesto garlic eggplant, summer squash, green beans, capers and roasted red peppers. It was colorful, fresh and a standout for anyone craving seafood.

And then there was the pink vodka ravioli — a repeat order from a friend who had recently tried it for lunch and could not stop thinking about it. Stuffed with mozzarella and ricotta and tossed with spinach in a creamy vodka sauce finished with goat cheese, it was rich, indulgent comfort food at its best. 

We ended the night with espresso martinis, though these came with what we think was an Italian twist. There was a noticeable citrus note that caught us off guard. While we tend to prefer a more traditional espresso martini profile, it was not bad — just different, and a fun conversation starter to cap off the evening.