A touch of Italy in Kingsville
Ruscotti's serves tangy dishes in a homey setting
A hot plate of veal parmesan and a glass of red wine were once as scarce as hen's teeth in Kingsville.But Ruscotti's Ristorante hopes to add these Italian staples to the local diet.
Ruscotti's quietly opened the doors of its 1914 Victorian home on West King Street in December.
Since then, business has been slow, said owner and manager Ulysia Rutkoski. But by offering reasonably priced food in a comfortable, yet refined atmosphere, Rutkoski hopes to change that soon.
After our first visit, we hope so too.
I mean, where else in Kingsville can you dine to the strains of Luciano Pavarotti laboring over a ballad to Maria?
The house itself is worth the visit, and what drew Rutkoski to open Ruscotti's, her second restaurant in Kingsville. Rutkoski also owns the Mesquite Grill.
"It was just sitting there, and I thought, what a waste," she said. "It's really perfect."
The upstairs dining rooms, with high ceilings and doors that close, appeared perfect for private parties or special diners.
Hardwood floors and three small dining rooms create a homey, comfortable dining experience. And the crisply dressed wait staff -- in pressed white tuxedo shirts, long aprons and black slacks -- were friendly and efficient.
We started our meal with a two large bowls full of fresh baked bread sticks and a truly unique basil, red wine dipping sauce that, surprisingly, had some zing. It was delicious. The secret ingredient, our waiter sheepishly admitted, was a Louisiana hot sauce. Only in South Texas.
Next up, we sampled a plate of the toasted ravioli -- four lightly breaded, cheese-stuffed ravioli served with a cold marinara sauce. They too, were excellent, and the marinara, chunky with crushed tomatoes and speckled with oregano and other spices, was tasty.
A good marinara sauce is the base for any good Italian dish, or so my grandmother, who claimed a drop or two of Italian blood, always said. Needless to say, we were encouraged.
On to the entrees, but first, our only real disappointment for the evening: an iceberg lettuce dinner salad instead of mixed greens. Topping the flavorless crunchy leaves with the house vinaigrette -- flecked with feta cheese -- seemed a shame.
The main course -- we tried the pollo marsalla and a pesto pasta -- were of an excellent quality for the price.
The pesto pasta, served in a large bowl and tossed with fresh broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, garlic, herbs and walnuts, was a well-balanced meal, flavorful and filling.
The dish included a tender, boneless chicken breast sauteed in a reduction of marsala wine, mushrooms, onion and garlic that resulted in a thick and savory sauce. And a side of fresh pasta tossed with pesto made sure that we carted off leftovers.
Oddly enough, during our visit, only two other tables were occupied in the entire restaurant.
AT A GLANCE
Ruscotti's Ristorante
313 West King Street, Kingsville, (361) 592-9310Entrees: $6.95 to $13.95
Alcohol: beer, wine
Checks: local checks
Credit cards: all major credit cards
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Monday
Food: ***
Service: **
Atmosphere: ***
