Tutto Bene: Better at Home

Tutto Bene is a family-owned Italian-American restaurant in Ballston that dabbles in Bolivian fare on the weekends. When we first moved to Arlington five years ago we tried this place for dinner a few times, and I recall it being a decent if unremarkable red-sauce Italian joint, nothing on par with the offerings in Boston's North End, which was a short stroll away from our old apartment. And as I remember the wine list was overpriced and the interior was over the top tacky; the location, sandwiched in between the Harris Teeter, Mercedes dealership, and Ballston Mall does not exactly exude urban charm.

Tutto Bene proudly proclaims that "everything is good." While I can't validate the claim, I was quite pleased when we went the lazy route and paid the fee and upcharge to get Dr. Delivery to bring it to our door this past weekend.

Our two entrees, fettuccine alfredo and eggplant parmesan, arrived in about an hour. Both entrees were hot and rather attractive considering their delivery containers. The fettuccine alfredo was great with a pungent kick of parmesan. It was even better with some fresh ground black pepper. The eggplant was magnificent--thinly cut, fried, and then smothered with a tangy red sauce and broiler tinged mozzarella--and came with a side of spaghetti and marinara.

While the meal with delivery charges was not cheap--$50 with tip for two entrees, it was worth it. I was able to appreciate Tutto Bene's food in a more pleasant location with a nice bottle of 2006 Chilean Cabernet from our cellar (read: guest bedroom closet).