Sorellas ladles up tasty Italian

LITTLE ROCK — A while back, a co-worker recommended Sorellas Italian Restaurant in Cabot as a great place to get a solid Italian meal.

Unfortunately a March electrical fire kept the restaurant closed for several months. When it reopened in May, my family and I headed out to see how well they had recovered.

When we visited, it was warm outside, and a bit warm inside, but we got used to it without suffering too much discomfort. There were no telltale signs of fire that I could see or smell, and the food was top notch.

The restaurant is at the end of a short strip mall on Pine Street with a small, but adequate, parking area. The restaurant’s interior is broken up by short walls that divide the space into several small dining areas, giving the place an intimate air. There are different size tables spread out in the separate little rooms, and attractive artwork on the earth-tone walls.

My co-worker had recommended their homemade Alla Ponna sauce ($2.95), a flavorful combination of alfredo and marinara sauces that’s his favorite thing on the menu. It’s delicious, and perfect for dipping hunks of Sorella’s delicious crusty rolls — it wouldn’t take long for you to spoil your appetite.

We also tried an order of the stuffed mushrooms ($7.95). I was a bit skeptical of the price, but I was happy with the small caps that featured a mixture of real crab meat covered with an alfredo and marinara blend and were baked to a rich and flavorful finish. I had to refrain from licking the plate.

By the time our entrees arrived, all three of us were almost full from the rolls. I had ordered the Stromboli ($6.95), basically a tube of pizza crust filled with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and mozzarella and baked until brown and crispy. I ended up taking the whole thing home for lunch the next day. Even a day later, the Stromboli was delicious when reheated in the oven.

My mother decided on the Linguini Tuttamare ($15.95) with a portion big enough for two to share as a meal. The dish, a combination of shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, baby clams and garlic sauteed in a well-seasoned white wine sauce and served over linguine, was cooked to perfection. And even though my son and I took a few bites off her plate, she took enough home to have a nice lunch the next day.

My son asked for the Veal Damabianka ($11.95), and when he ordered, the sweet waitress remarked that he’d actually pronounced the name correctly. It’s a thin slice of breaded veal that comes with mushrooms sauteed in a sherry wine and alfredo sauce, and served over spaghettini pasta. The veal was tender and tasty and the sauce was rich and creamy. Even with his big appetite, my son took part of his dish home, too.

Overall, our experience at Sorellas was excellent. The wait staff was very accommodating, the food wonderful, and the mood relaxing and friendly.

The menu has selections to fit just about every taste and budget. It offers a sizable selection of appetizers, salads, subs, Italian entrees, chicken and veal dishes, and house specialties, most of which fall in the $7 to $10 range.

The restaurant also makes pizzas to order, with prices from $6.95 for a small cheese to $13.50 for an extra large supreme. Or customers can customize with $1 toppings that include Canadian bacon, hamburger, sausage, pepperoni, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and black and green olives.

I ordered a 14-inch Supreme ($12.50) on a subsequent visit and it was wonderful, although the crust was bit soggier near the middle of the pan than I normally like. The pie had plentiful toppings, though, and the mixture of green and black olives was delicious. And, it reheated well in the oven the next day for lunch.

Sorellas offers lunch specials ($5.95 to 8.95) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Diners who manage to save room for dessert can choose from New York, chocolate and strawberry swirl cheesecake ($3.95), and tiramisu or cannoli cream ($4.95).

Sorellas Italiand Restaurant. Address: 2006 S. Pine St., Cabot Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday Cuisine: Italian Credit cards: AE, D, V, MC Alcoholic beverages: No Wheelchair accessible: Yes Carryout: Yes (501) 941-7000