Matteo's Italiano - Noblesville

The baked chicken special was dry, even with plenty of sauce on the plate. The chopped salad resembled and tasted like an Italian version of salsa. Additionally, my credit card slipped out of the bill holder, and the waitress didn’t seem to be concerned about it going missing.

We have visited this restaurant three times since 2006. During our first two visits, the service was outstanding, but on our most recent visit, it was just okay considering the prices. We ordered an appetizer for one, three drinks, entrées for two, one dessert, and one coffee, which came to about $125, including a 20% tip. I really love the calamari fritti; it almost takes me back to Milan. The Chilean sea bass and the cream asparagus soup are fantastic, if they're available.

After waiting a year to dine at this restaurant during their limited dinner hours, I finally visited with a friend visiting from out of town. With both of us having extensive dining experience across Europe and the U.S., we had high hopes for our meal. While the service was satisfactory, the food fell short of expectations. The veal piccata was quite unappealing, appearing gray and lacking capers, with very little sauce and just four small medallions on a nearly empty plate. The Linguini with clams was even worse; the clams tasted canned and were overly chewy. I appreciate a good al dente texture, but this was simply undercooked. We trudged through our meal, only to discover from our waitress that Bananas Foster would set us back $17.50, which she justified by saying it was prepared tableside. This price is outrageous, even if the best ingredients were used! The nearly empty restaurant confirmed our disappointment. Chef, it might be time to reassess your standards. Perhaps a visit from Chef Ramsay is in order!

I always eagerly anticipate our date nights at Matteo's. It's great to have such a charming and romantic place in town. I really enjoy the bread, and I always remember to call ahead to reserve some lasagna.