Guido's is a Hometown Favorite traditional Italian-American Restaurant in Walpole, Mass.

By Eric H.

Posted 10/18/06

Guido's is the type of restaurant that every town should

be so lucky to have. Thoroughly unassuming with its plain-looking dining room and location in an outdated strip mall, Guido's focus is on traditional Italian-American food, and do they ever deliver.

From the moment you walk by the revolving dessert display, the pasta and sauces for sale rack, and the handwritten specials on a board, there's no denying Guido's centers on the food, the whole food and nothing but the food. They have to -- the convential but serviceable tile floor, familiar booths and tables and Friendly's without the counter-type layout just don't quite cut it as a center for ambiance.

After sampling some delicious made on the premises rolls and Italian, the next course of delicious pasta fasule soup or a substantial Caesar salad with crispy greens and a good salad dressing will serve as a good precursor to the main course -- pasta, pasta and more pasta. It's all fresh, served in incredibly large portions. Highly recommended are the baked eggplant parmigiana, chicken marsala gnocci with meatballs, chicken and broccoli alfredo (a personal favorite), mouthwatering steak tips and veal parmigiana.

For wine (and beer) lovers, Guido's does serve alcohol, so the total dining experience is present in a place that intially looks like they might serve only soft drinks and Yoo-Hoo.

Guido's also bucks the trend of good Italian restaurants turning out mediocre, "afterthought" pizza . Its pizza, in fact ranks right up there with the best of them, with fresh sauce, chewy dough and ample toppings. For an additional dollar, a great pizza becomes even greater with the Sicilian version sure to please the most particular pizza connoisseur.

If you have room for dessert, then brace yourself for some top-of-the-line canolis, , eclairs, cream puffs, chocolate cake carrot cake, apple turnovers, large chocolate chip cookies and much more. All pastries are done on the premises daily, which accounts for these terrifically, sweet selections.

Service at Guido's is exceptionally efficient and friendly, including hosts Mike and Stephanie and waitstaff like Dennis, Jen and Gail. They are, without a doubt, the nicest group of restaurant staff I have ever met. You almost feel like family here.

Guido's is an unusually good value in this age of Italian restaurants that call themselves gourmet and charge a fortune for a bunch of noodles with sauce. At Guido's, the large main meal portions are served with pasta or potato or vegetable and a choice of soup, salad or Caesar salad.

Bring your appetites to Guido's! You will never go home hungry here.

Guido's, open for lunch and dinner

683 Main St., the Marketplace at Route 1A, Walpole. Tel. (508) 660-1533.