:) = Yummy, authentic Italian food. Very kid-friendly dining area. Gelato and pizza right next door that you can bring in.
:( = Not all of the staff seemed interested in serving kids. Parents have to go to serving stations to get their own cups of water, which is a logistical challenge for a parent dining alone with small children.
We ventured into West Atlanta's Little Italy area for the first time and try out Gio's Chicken Amalfitano because we heard it's delicious, authentic, AND kid-friendly. When we arrived, we were mesmerized by the mural on the wall near the front counter; but we didn't get a vibe from the cashier that she was interested in serving a couple of toddlers. Nonetheless, we ordered a meal to share: spaghetti with meatballs and the lemon chicken. Mommy was feeling benevolent, so she let us get a Blood Orange San Pellegrino to share, too.
When we entered the dining room, we were super happy to see that there were lots of other kids - even other toddlers! - there. We especially loved that we got to sit at picnic tables. So fun! We found a semi-empty table which happened to be shared with a couple on a date. (Mommy was praying that our toddler antics wouldn't turn them off from ever procreating.) Our server did seem comfortable with serving toddlers, and was really nice to us, so we felt a little more at ease.
The food was yummy. We got medium-sized salads to start the meal - a pleasant surprise. The salad dressing tasted salty and a little fishy. Mommy told us the fishies used in the salad are called "anchovies." We ate one whole bowl of salad, which is unusual for us.
The spaghetti was cooked perfectly, just firm enough for us to grab with our little, semi-uncoordinated hands without the noodles sliding everywhere. The sauce tasted light, as if the tomatoes had been grown onsite and smashed into a pot that same day. The meatballs were the star of the show, though. They were as big as our fists and perfectly seasoned.
The lemon chicken was not our favorite dish, but Mommy loved it. She told us that it was very moist and had a nice, tart flavor. We did enjoy chewing on the little Christmas trees that were served on top of the chicken - I think Mommy called them "rosemary." We don't recommend eating the lemons on top of the chicken, though. We thought they were oranges and each took a bite. Boy, were we shocked!
After dinner, we tasted the gelato next door. There were lots of flavors, but we settled on stracciatella (chocolate chip). It tasted different from regular ice cream - creamier and more similar to the whole milk we drink at home.
We will definitely go back to Gio's to have another "picnic" and try their other dishes; and we want to try their sister pizza restaurant, Antico. Maybe if we're good, Mommy will let us try another gelato flavor, too.
Until next time, friends!
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| Enjoying the authentic Caesar salad that comes with every entree. I ate the whole bowl! |
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| Gio's has a variety of San Pellegrino flavors. Maybe Mommy will let me try them all. |
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