LITTLE ROCK — We were fans of Sorella’s Italian Restaurant in Cabot for several years, but they closed and we put them out of our minds. Earlier this year I noticed that the Sorella’s location had opened as another restaurant.
A recent Thursday evening found my son, my mother and me heading out to the new restaurant - now named Morina’s Italian Restaurant - at the end of a small strip center on Pine Street.
Since the place wasn’t crowded, we were quickly seated at a table for four in the back section of the restaurant.The intimate dining area is divided into several sections by walls. Italian artwork is hung in attractive groupings on brown and tan walls. Tables are covered in white tablecloths topped with glass and the chairs are made of dark wood. Overall, it’s a pleasant atmosphere for a date or family dinner.
Our personable server, Zach, took our drink orders. And I ordered a bowl of the Homemade Alla Panna Sauce ($3.95), remembering the former restaurant had also offered this.
Most recipes for alla panna sauce call for cream and butter. Morina’s version - a combination of marinara sauce and alfredo - is different, and it’s delicious. Zach brought it to our table with a basket ofhuge, soft rolls that we tore into pieces and dipped into the light-orange-colored sauce.
We were already half filled by the Alla Panna Sauce and rolls by the time our food came, so we knew we would be heading out with to-go boxes.
The menu offers quite a few Italian entrees, many featuring pasta, and a few sandwiches. Many fall in the $8 to $11 range, with a few pricier items.
My son ordered the Shrimp Scallopini ($14.95) - shrimp, scallops, mussels and garlic sauteed in sherry with marinara sauce and served over linguine. Although I’m not a big fan of tomato mixed withfish or seafood, I found it to be very good. He managed to eat about half, and then packed the remainder in the box with the last of the alla panna sauce as it would have been a shame to waste it. (And, we’d also scored a second basket of the huge rolls and each wound up with one in our to-go boxes.)
Mother splurged on the Linguine Tuttamare ($16.95), a combination of shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, clams and garlic sauteed in a white wine sauce and served over linguine. Plentiful enough fortwo hearty eaters to share, the seafood was tender and the sauce flavorful.
I went with a Stromboli ($7.95) - pizza dough filled with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese and cooked to a pleasing, crisp brown.
We ordered a House Salad ($4.95) to share, as entrees don’t automatically come with a side salad. The large melange of lettuce, black olives, tomatoes, mushrooms and mozzarella was enough for three with some left over.
Morina’s also offers dishes like lasagna, baked ziti, chicken tetrazini, lobster ravioli, and shrimp or chicken alfredo. The menu also includes a small selection of subs, a few veal dishes and pizzas in 10 to 16 inches. Lunch specials ($6.95-$9.95), which include a tossed salad, are served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
A new Morina’s location is scheduled to open in the next week or so in the Motel 6 located at 200 U.S. 67/167 N. in Jacksonville.
Morina’s Italian Restaurant
Address: 2006 S. Pine St.,
Cabot
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.Tues
day-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10
p.m. Friday and Saturday
and 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sun
day
Cuisine: Pasta, pizza, sand
wiches
Credit cards: AE, D, V, MC
Alcoholic beverages: No
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Carryout: Yes
(501) 941-7000
SorellasItalianRestaurant.
com
Weekend, Pages 38 on 08/09/2012