Manuel's Vintage Room

Manuel's Vintage Room: Five thumbs up (although I need to eat there more than once to confirm this initial rating).

Menu Highlights: Snails (if you have the guts), Pasta della casa, whatever wine Manuel recommends.

Price Range: $20 bucks per meal, appetizers and wine make this amount go up quickly.

Review: For years, I dismissed this little bungalow as Gainesville has THE worst Italian food across the board than anywhere else in the world. Yet, because a friend had a gift certificate, I figured I'd give it a try. This place is definitely a special occasion dinner, as the prices get up there.

No Italian meal is complete without wine, and Manuel knows his shit. Make sure to ask him for a recommendation, as the process is one of the most enjoyable parts of the meal. Also, don't hesitate to order that 45 dollar bottle of wine that he picks out. You won't regret it. We had a palette melting Pinot Noir that was out of this world. It was pricey, but like I said, worth it for a special occasion.

The menu is quite extensive with both safe and adventurous items. We decided to try the snails, as we'd never eaten them before. They were definitely interesting if you can get into that kind of thing. I'd say they were somewhere in between steak and portobello mushrooms in taste and consistency. They're certainly not for everyone. We also had a delicious baked pasta appetizer with some delicious cheese and pear. I played it safe for the main course, just sticking with the pasta della casa and a marinara sauce. It was really a solid sauce. Usually this choice can lead you down a very boring road, but I wasn't disappointed (Italian is a cuisine I'm most picky about).

Because we ended up spending so much money, Manuel gave us all complimentary glasses of Port for dessert. Delicious!

Bottom line: If it's your anniversary or someone is graduating, bring them to Manuel's!