Alex Whitaker

It was our last night in Orange Beach, Alabama. We had paddle boarded, swam, and walked the beach about as much as we could stand that day. We were beat, but we wanted one last “hoorah” before packing up the van the next morning, and we had been meaning to check out the wharf while in town, so we landed on going to Villaggio Grille.

As far as restaurants go, our experience in Orange Beach had been kind of hit or miss until then. So our expectations were not very high. But the restaurant was very busy that night, so we figured that was a pretty good sign. Neither of us expected what was actually in store for us.

Our server, Irena, was very kind and promptly refilled our drinks as needed and explained the menu and specials in detail. We started with the Oyster Trio – nine baked oysters including three of each of the following: Prosciutto Rockefeller, Gorgonzola & Shallot, and Manchego & Jalapeno. The Prosciutto Rockefeller and the Gorgonzola & Shallot both had intense umami flavors and were creamy, not slimy as is often the case in uncooked oysters. The shallots practically melted in my mouth. The Manchego & Jalapeno offered a brighter punch with a not-too-overwhelming heat from the jalapeno.

Both of us ordered the Seafood Pasta. It included: shrimp, scallops, & crab salad, and was served over fettuccini alfredo. We are big fans of alfredo, so it was a no-brainer. We are now also big fans of Villaggio Grille.

Each piece of shrimp, scallop and crab were cooked to perfection, not under or overdone in the slightest. And though not listed on the menu, the fresh basil in the sauce worked wonderfully in concert with the other flavors, bringing a light refreshment to match the heavier richness of the alfredo. One of the most important things I noticed came towards the end of the meal. I could not see any excess oil pooling at the bottom of my plate. It usually is most noticeable when the food cools off a bit and the oil begins to separate from the cream. This often happens when the chef adds too much oil to the pan on the front end. It was impressive to see the lack of oil and told me that Villaggio Grille hires quality chefs.

About halfway through the meal my wife said, “This is one of the better seafood pastas I’ve ever had.” I could not have disagreed with her more. It was the best. Period. I dare other restaurants to do better.