Tuscany Grill is a great modern Italian-American restaurant located on 120 College Street, which is not at all far from campus. From the outside it looks like a little hole-in-the wall place, but once you go in the first thing that hits you is the extremely spacious interior. It has a really nice atmosphere, complemented by attentive and friendly service. The food here is pricey, starting at $14 for an entreé but averaging out at around $20. However, it is definitely worth it, especially if you are gluten-free and are looking for a variety of options.
I tried four entrées and three desserts: sunflower encrusted ahi tuna, cornbread stuffed pork chop, cashew encrusted scallops, a swordfish special, apple bourbon Bundt cake, carrot cake, and tiramisu.
Entrées
The tuna was served rare, as I had asked for it, and was absolutely delicious. It was served over pancetta and acorn squash risotto with broccoli florets and a red pepper sauce. All the different elements had their own unique flavors, but they worked together really well. The tuna was refreshing, while the risotto was warm and creamy. The broccoli added a nice crunch. The pancetta provided a salty flavor and the pepper sauce, a savory touch. What more could you ask for?
The first thing I noticed about the pork chop was its enormous size. Our waitress had warned us that you needed to be hungry to finish it, but I still didn’t expect anything that big. The pork chop was grilled, but not dried out. Even the cornbread inside it was moist. It was served over apple and onion hash with acorn squash and a brandy cream sauce. This was a really nice fall meal. Eating it made me feel cozy and content.
The scallops were served over butternut squash ravioli, making it like two dishes in one! It was served with pancetta, roasted tomatoes, and a sherry, rosemary cream sauce. This was definitely the richest meal I tried that night. Between the sauce and the ravioli I was almost overwhelmed. This is a great dish for someone who can’t make up their mind.
The swordfish was grilled and very moist – not at all dried out as fish can often be. It was served over risotto with spinach and pickled cucumbers. This was a surprisingly summery dish to offer in the middle of the fall season, but it was tangy and delicious nevertheless.
Desserts
The apple bourbon Bundt cake was absolutely delicious. It had a generous portion of vanilla ice cream on top with whipped cream, walnuts, and a caramel drizzle. The cake was a perfect texture with warm apples – a very fall dessert. I highly recommend it!
The carrot cake was enormous, like the dessert version of the pork dish. It could easily be shared with three or even four people. It was not as good as the Bundt cake, but still quite good. The presentation was very creative: a round cake with cream cheese frosting completely covered with nuts and three dollops of whipped cream.
The tiramisu was also really good, better than the carrot cake, but not as good as the Bundt cake. It was creamy and pretty – exactly what one could hope for in a tiramisu.
I would recommend Tuscany Grill for a nice date or a dinner with your parents. I had a delicious meal there and really enjoyed the entire dining experience. Plus, it’s a little off the beaten path. Definitely give it a try!
– Laura Hess ’16
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