Dick On Food: Buono Aruffo's
By Eddie Dick
Staff Writer

The Claremont Village offers a host of options for diners seeking an upscale restaurant experience. One of the most talked-about of this select group is Aruffo’s Italian Cuisine.

The menu at Aruffo’s covers a daunting amount of territory. Ravioli, traditional pasta dishes, pizza, seafood and various meat items are all included on the menu. My suggestion is to stick to the pasta dishes. The ravioli has a reputation for being excellent, and Aruffo’s has a history of providing exceptionally fresh and well-prepared seafood.

To help you sort out all of your options on the menu and the wine list, Aruffo’s offers very helpful and friendly wait staff. While in the past, Aruffo’s has suffered from waiters that could be rather lackadaisical and brooding, the service on my latest visit was top notch. Not only was the waiter prompt and quick to give excellent recommendations, he was also extremely friendly and entertaining to boot.

Once an entrée has been decided upon, the patron must then face the arduous task of deciding between soup and salad. The garden salad at Aruffo’s is no run of the mill plate of lettuce. In addition to its wonderfully fresh and crisp pile of greens, the salad is topped off with bowtie pasta and fresh parmesan cheese.

The highlight of the salad, though, is the cabernet vinaigrette dressing. The dressing boasts a combination of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and spices that is phenomenal. While I do not usually go out of my way to order salad in restaurants, this salad is certainly an exception.

The soups offered at Aruffo’s change nightly. On my most recent visit, the soup was a fresh salmon and lobster bisque. This creamy soup with delicious chunks of salmon and lobster is a real treat. It is incredibly rich and has a great seafood flavor without any hint of fishiness whatsoever.

In addition to soup or salad, patrons at Aruffo’s are also served a loaf of Aruffo’s fresh baked bread topped with crushed tomatoes and a special blend of salt and herbs. With its crispy crust and soft inside, this bread was one of the highlights of an exceptional meal. For a real treat, order the fonduta di formaggio from the appetizer menu which adds a melted cheese fondue sauce laced with brandy to the already wonderful bread.

On this occasion, I sampled two main pasta entrees. The first and least impressive of the two was the ragu alla bolenese. While I am particularly fond of hearty Italian ragu sauces, Aruffo’s version failed to live up to my expectations. The ground sirloin and tomato base were excellent, but I felt the sauce could have used more spiciness and was a bit sweeter than I prefer. But for readers looking for a mild Italian meat sauce, the ragu alla bolenese is an excellent bet.

The second dish sampled was the alfredo del mare and it was an absolute treat. It consisted of a traditional white alfredo sauce mixed with clams, shrimp, and scallops served on a bed of fettuccini. While all of the seafood included in this dish was excellent the scallops were particularly delicious. They were cooked to perfection and were very tender. I would highly recommend this dish to anyone planning a trip to Aruffo’s in the near future.

Unfortunately, Aruffo’s does suffer from several drawbacks. The dining room at Aruffo’s is rather small and crammed with tables. As a result, on busy evenings, the atmosphere can be rather noisy and oppressive, inhibiting conversation and distracting from the overall quality of the experience.

The second drawback is the pricing. Unless someone else is footing the bill, $13 to $20 for an entrée is a substantial sum for any student to drop on one meal. Add to that the cost of wine, which starts around $20 a bottle and rises to a level that surpasses most students’ fortnightly paychecks, and you can end up in a situation that might require an emergency loan.

Drawbacks aside, Aruffo’s is one of the top choices for classy dining in the Claremont Village. If circumstances demand that you choose a restaurant that is meant to impress, then Aruffo’s should be at or near the top of your list. But make sure to call ahead for a reservation as seating is limited, and you do not want to miss out.