The Rabbitt Report: Cunetto's House of Pasta

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When the creative characters at the helm of ToastedRav.com queried me as to my interest in creating critiques regarding dining in our town, I signed on post-haste, as I've been doing my homework on this subject longer than most restaurants have been around. My earliest jottings on eateries appeared in the '80s in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and I've been talking about restaurants on radio and TV for decades. The notes I'll present will be based on my dining experiences, along with a chronicle of historical tidbits. These critiques will be based on the current offerings of carefully selected restaurants.

Where to begin is a challenge as we have such an abundance of deserving dining places. So, I made a list of where we dined during the month of April and selected our first location from these at random. By the way, the list contained 33 locations, so, we're no slouches when it comes to going out to eat. We'll review locally owned and operated restaurants and will make every effort to provide you with a guide to good food, good service and good value. Unlike some "reviews" these reports will be commercial free, as the place being critiqued is not paying to be in the RR (Rabbitt Report). If you have suggestions as to restaurants you'd like us to report on, or if you have comments, submit them below! Enough palaver. Let's eat!

Cunetto's House of Pasta
5453 Magnolia Ave. at Sublette Ave. On The Hill
314 781 3500
www.cunetto.com

We were there when they opened in September, 1974 and since that time Cunetto's has been the restaurant we've visited more than any other. Consistency, quality and quantity are bylaws at Cunetto's and the menu has varied little over the years. You get a wide variety of freshly prepared food, both at lunch and dinner, and the original chef, Charlie "Flipper" San Filippo, remains king of the kitchen. Charlie came to The Hill and Cunetto's at the behest of Joe and Vince Cunetto who were departing from owning the family pharmacy, a half block from where Cunetto's is located. Joe and Vince were fulfilling a dream of having a first-class Italian restaurant and they selected a building that years before had been the successful home of Biggie & Charlie's Brass Key, but when Biggie left to start a new business with Stan "The Man" the location fell on hard times, as several restaurants, such as Rigoletto's, fizzled. Some said the building was jinxed. Joe, Vince and Charlie proved that theory wrong. Today, Vince's son Frank Cunetto carries on the family tradition, and he's there day in and day out to insure that everything's done the way it's always been done. Joe and Vince would be proud. His carefully selected staff of servers, kitchen crew, hosts, bartenders and bus people all strive to make your Cunetto experience one you'll want to repeat.

Cunetto's is big and busy, and often, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings, you might have to wait for a table, but it's worth it. Reservations are taken for lunch, which is served from 11 to 2 Monday through Friday, but not in the evening. When Cunetto's opens for dinner at 5 there's always a line of people waiting to get in. If you arrive when the two dining rooms are filled, put your name on the list and enjoy a professionally mixed cocktail in the bar area, or on a nice evening, wait outside or take a short walk on The Hill. The staff does everything they can, without rushing diners, to get you seated as soon as possible. If you've got a big appetite, Cunetto's is the place for you. You won't go away hungry, but you likely will go away with a "doggie bag" with something for lunch or dinner the next day. Your bus person will take care of packaging your food. The ambience at Cunetto's is relaxed and friendly in a subtle classical decor. The noise level can get pretty high as many come there to celebrate events, but this adds to the charm of Cunetto's as being a fun place with really good eats.

You won't find a better spot than Cunetto's for lunch. There are 45 items on the menu and the pasta dishes are available in either a lunch or full size. If you're going home or have a place to keep your leftovers, get a full order for just $1.25 more than the lunch portion though that's big as well. You can't top the Fettucine alla Cunetto, it's in the Alfredo style with Parmesan cheese, cream and butter sauce. It's also available with Verde fettucine. Other pasta favorites include Linguini Tutto Mare in a seafood sauce with clam, crab, shrimp and mushrooms and Cavatelli Pomodoro with fresh tomato, mushrooms and butter sauce. There are 19 other pasta dishes at lunch. I'd also suggest a small crisp and refreshing Insalata Cunetto. The soups such as the rich and hearty Minestrone di Verdura are home-made, as is everything at Cunetto's. And on Thursday they serve a thick, palate pleasing lentil soup that's a must. Toasted Rav is excellent with a thick meat sauce and another antipasto of note is Melanzane (eggplant) Parmigiano. You probably don't think of Cunetto's as a place for a hamburger, but you should. It's one of the best burgers anywhere and a great buy (with Provel cheese) for $6.35. The meatball sandwich with zesty meat sauce on an Italian roll is great, and you'll love the roast beef with gravy, like Grandma used to make. All sandwiches, of which there are 11, come with a side dish of pasta. In the next few days, we'll do a Rabbitt Report on dinner at Cunetto's, which is served from 5 to 10 Monday through Thursday and 5 to 11 on Friday and Saturday. Right now, I'm headed there for lunch. I'm serious.

Cunetto's earns The Rabbitt Report's top honor of 5 Ravs for lunch.