"We happened upon Rusciano’s on a windy, cold, and rainy night on a trip with our grandson. The restaurant is in a strip mall, and the interior is a bit bare and not cozy like many smaller Italian restaurants. The restaurant was perhaps 1/3 full, but the man who met us at the door offered a seat right next to the door, where it was windy and even a bit wet. Who knows why? We were all wearing masks when we entered the entirely maskless restaurant... He almost seemed reluctant to seat us elsewhere, but we got a table near the back. The menu is interesting and has many dishes that look authentic. Two of us had the basil pesto pasta and grandson had pasta with olive oil and parmigiano (his favorite). My wife and I, who routinely make our own pesto and who have tried it around the world, agreed that Rusciano's pesto with pasta was some of the best we have tried, and their bread was excellent! Grandson's pasta also got his nod of approval. My $9 glass of aglianico tasted as if it had been open for a few days; our cold fish waiter asked how everything was, and we complimented them on their pasta but I mentioned the poor-quality wine. He said nothing and walked away. Rusciano's advertises true Neapolitan pizza, and I had the chance to chat with the pizzaiolo, working by the wood-fired oven. He was born in Napoli, so he definitely knows pizza from Napoli. If the service had not been so mediocre, verging on poor, I would have given Rusciano's 5 stars. With pleasant, efficient, and caring table service, this would be a true gem. As it is, it offers perhaps the best Italian food in the region. We did not have the chance to try the pizza, to compare it with what we've had many times in Napoli, but we plan to do that on a return trip."
Pizza Chef
