Viareggio: Meet The Tuscan Italian Dream

Familiarity is a word that rings throughout dinner. The comfort of Italian food only makes any occasion more special. A feeling of being treated like family, no matter what dish you order. At Viareggio Italian Restaurant, that feeling of comfort is felt from the moment you step inside. A relaxed visit that started when meeting with an old friend had only helped this familiarity come to light.

Old Friends & New Tastes

Meeting up with an old friend can feel very stressful at times, unless in a relaxed environment somewhere you can consider home. Viareggio, located on Flamingo Rd and Pecos Rd, is where catching up can be done without worries in the world. Viareggio finds itself the right visit in a small pocket on a busy road.

Started by Chef Alberto, who is influenced primarily by his mother and hails from New York, Viareggio prides itself on the Tuscany-style cooking it offers. From the moment you walk in the door, it’s evident you step into this Tuscany-style avenue, rich in culture, and inviting anyone to sit down and dwell in its family-style dining.

The level of personalized service is evident throughout every smile that was flashed in our direction. Our waitress guided us through the menu, which has many different exciting options.

A Taste of Tuscany In Sin City

Appetizers such as Antipasto Misto (an assortment of meats and cheeses, as well as olives all topped with vinaigrette), Insalata Cesare (Cesar Salad), and Portobello Ripieno (grilled and stuffed portobello mushroom with crab meat and mozzarella cheese), grace this full menu.

Even with the difficult pronunciations we found, the Portobello Ripieno was easily the most succulent option for us to enjoy. The Portobello Ripieno had an incredibly juicy texture which mixed beautifully with the crab meat and mozzarella cheese as well.

Through every bite of this appetizer it worked as a perfect opener with an ambiance that allowed my friend and I to not only dwell in the environment, but in each other as well, having a relaxing pocket for ourselves which was treated as our own sanctuary.

Enjoying the Portobello Ripieno as much as we could savor through each bite, it came time to wind down to get an entree to really feel what Tuscany was all about.

Flavors That Tell A Story

Comfort is important for my friend and I when dining out, so we wanted to explore new entrees while sticking to flavors we love.

My friend’s favorite dish just so happens to be Lasagna, so what better choice than the Lasagna Al Viareggio which boasts layers of pasta, bolognese sauce, as well as ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

Served in a very compact dish that allows the sauce to sit as a nice warm blanket, soothing the layers of pasta on the lasagna soaking every rich bite with tomato sauce that is homemade, as our server suggested.

I was piqued in curiosity when our server suggested a dish that was not on the menu at all, but instead was part of a “special of the day”. This dish was called Pollo Alla Boscaiola which is a stuffed chicken breast, with portobello mushroom cream as a soothing topping, as well as mozzarella, and vegetables stuffed inside of the chicken, mixed all with portobello mushrooms as well.

One bite was all it took to know that these dishes were simply made to ease our dinner to the max. Not a single bite was wasted. However, as we continued to dig in, we found ourselves with a bit of a surprise.

In the middle of our meal, we were delighted by piano players who started performing in the middle of our dinner.

Performing renditions of the piano with classics from Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and James Brown, to even performing some of those same Frank Sinatra songs, such as “Fly Me To The Moon!”

Not only did these gentlemen seamlessly fit in with the aura of the establishment, but also gave a soothing vibe to the restaurant that heightened the experience even more, allowing the savoring entrees to come alive once again.

There’s Always Room For Dessert

In our ventures throughout our entrees we found ourselves still with enough wit to order dessert. One slice of Cheesecake, and one plate of Creme Brulee, the hardest dessert a baker can get right.

For the lime lovers, the cheesecake was based on a tangy sourness that was beautifully balanced with a raspberry and dark chocolate sauce to complement the creaminess of the cheesecake. Despite the mixture of flavors, the thickness of the raspberry/chocolate sauce excellently allowed the cheesecake to come together as a sweet ending to our long chat.

As well as the Creme Brulee, sprinkled with hard sugar bits, it was the right balance of not too sweet, and not too creamy, just the right amount to enjoy a well placed dinner.

Wine and Dine in Tuscany

This restaurant seemingly invites you not only for the first time, but for a second time, and many times after that. Viareggio made it easy to sit down and enjoy the company of a longtime friend I hadn’t seen in a while, thanks to its inviting atmosphere and beautiful setting.

Their drink menu is also incredibly extensive and their bar is fully fledged with us asking the waitress if they hold any sporting events, in which she replied that they absolutely do. NFL Sundays, March Madness, and larger European Soccer or International tournaments can be seen at the bar.

With so much to offer, Viareggio is definitely not a one-and-done location to visit. On the contrary, with so many options available, it’s a perfect place to enjoy a drink with a friend, savor exquisite food, indulge in a sweet treat, or sample curated wines. This locale shows off Tuscany in the best of ways.