I went to North Italia for the first time for an i...

I went to North Italia for the first time for an intimate birthday dinner on a Monday night. Due to the location (Cherry Creek), I had expectations of a relatively upscale dining experience, and I was not disappointed.

The diners were a diverse mix of people (singles, younger couples with children, businesspeople, retirees) which is a good sign in my book. The waitstaff were very friendly, polite, and attentive. The food took a while to appear, which was understandable due to the place being packed (on a weekday!). Since crusty ciabatta and olive oil was offered to us, we didn t mind. When the food came, boy was it worth it!

Our group started with the Crispy Calamari, which was light, crunchy, and seasoned just right. I ordered the Squid Ink Mafaldine, since I had never had squid ink pasta before. The dish was citrusy, spicy, with a decent portion of seafood. I also tried the Buratta Tortelloni from my friend's plate, and it was one of the most delightful morsels of food that I've had. I also tasted my other dining companion s Chicken Pesto pasta, and if I had to guess, the basil and cheese quality is way higher than what you d get from your average chain restaurant.

The evening was rounded out with some chilled Caravella Limoncello and divine Tiramisu as the shared complementary birthday dessert. All in all, it was a very memorable dinner, and the best Italian dining experience I ve had outside of NYC.