A Scary Word for a Dieter: Buffet

It's Monday. It rained today. I have to head out first thing in the morning for a funeral. Needless to say, I didn't feel like cooking. So when Cole suggested eating out, I was allll for it.

We tried the new Cannoli Joe's near the south Central Market. They call it an Italian feast, and that it was. There was a ton a food. The whole drive over there I was setting up rules in my mind about how to make it through dinner without gaining three pounds: Find the salad. Only one pasta dish. Don't let foods run into each other on my plate. Only one trip to the dessert bar. Etc.

If you're considering going, I'll say this: It was okay. Just okay. The place is nice. Our waitress hovered like a helicopter trying to rescue a wriggling deer from a frozen lake: entirely too long!!! There are separate dining rooms and plenty of space. And I liked the way they have the food divided. There was a bar for salad and fresh fruit. Separate bars for baked pastas, fish dishes, pork dishes and a one for potato dishes. Oh yes, and there was a bar for dessert. Lots of beautiful desserts.

I started with the house and tomato/mozzarella salads. Not bad. I then had tastes of the chicken marsala, some green beans and fried zucchini. The fried zucchini was probably my second favorite thing in the restaurant. The eggplant parmesan was cold. The bread stick I tried was rock-hard. The best dish: The apple crisp from the dessert bar. Is that technically an Italian dish???