Taste of Italy

Sad sad news.Went last weekend,excellent as allways,and found out they are closing for good June 2013.When I begged chef/owner not to close he said'I am old ,what do you want me to do fall down at the stove?' Another great one about to go away.

I grew up right down the street from this place and in 20+ years, never went in until yesterday.  The decor is dated, however, in a good way.  It really seems like a family atmosphere--plenty of regulars and the staff is friendly.

They have a pretty sizeable menu and while some may think the food prices are high, it's comparable to what you'd pay in other places for the same style of food, so they in line with other Italian restaurants.

I had the veal chop and, although it was a bit on the tough side, it was satisfactory.  Nothing fancy, but that's to be expected considering the neighborhood.  

I would go back and try it again.  I am fearful, though, that they won't be in business much longer, just by the fact of the city it's in, coupled with the few people I saw.  It makes me worry about their future.  They've been there 29 years and it would be a shame to see them have to close up.

When I write a review for a restaurant, I take three things into consideration: 1) Is the food good, that is, does it taste good? 2) Is it well prepared? 3) Is it priced reasonably?
I have to say, Taste of Italy fails completely on all three points.
The food tasted mediocre at best. I had bow tie with chicken with an Alfredo sauce, and the pasta was gummy. My friend had spaghetti with meat balls, and they gave him ONE MEATBALL! I have to say, in my life, I have never seen spaghetti with meatballs served with one meatball. And a smallish meatball at that! The chicken in my pasta had gristle bits in it, and obviously had been trimmed poorly.
Finally, all the main courses were very pricey, nearly twenty bucks apiece, or more if you get the veal. This is way too expensive, especially considering the restaurants location (in the middle of nowhere in Calumet City) and the quality of the food.
I have to say, don't bother with this place. it was probably once a decent place, but now, pass it by