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Business & Tech

Bites Nearby: Peppers Italian Restaurant

Restaurant is cute, but the kitschy cuisine doesn't quite make the cut.

A few people requested that I review , an Italian restaurant at the corner of Detroit and Ridgewood, across from Cove Avenue.

I was curious about it, too, and misjudged it to be just another pizzeria.

The crisp awning over the front door seems to be the only new thing about Peppers — the interior is kitschy and cozy, with faux flowers and walls crowded with framed photos, Italian posters and Bob Ross-ian art; the tables are close together, seating about 30.

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We had to wait a while to be acknowledged by the host, who doesn't have time for eye-contact, chit-chat or helping; we had to wait to be seated. There was one harried — yet charming — server who managed to hold things together... her tables were full -she could have used a hand with clearing and re-setting...the host didn't seem capable of pitching in. Once seated, we had to wait again – that host could have brought us a bottle of wine — instead, he importantly strode around the room, wreaking havoc with traffic flow.

The menu is tired, featuring bygone Italian-American standards: Breaded Calamari, Pasta Casseroles, Veal Parmesan, Chicken Marsala, Pizzas.

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Appetizers are $5 to $8, entree prices range from $8 to $16, pizzas are $10 to $16; the wines are reasonably priced at $20-$30 for a bottle, with carafes and half-carafes available. When the opportunity arose, we placed our whole order... the wine came quickly, followed by our food.

There is nothing fresh or authentic here. The Antipasto Salad was disappointing — its components were akin to those of a chef salad. Antipasto should be a bounty of color with roasted peppers, artichokes, marinated mushrooms, tomatoes; real Italian charcuterie and cheeses; briny olives.

The Veal Piccata was piquant and lemony, but it was inappropriately paired with a side portion of rigatoni that had seen al dente come and go, plus it was smothered in red sauce, school lunch-style; the dinner rolls were a far cry from anything you'd find in Tuscany.

This is a friendly neighborhood restaurant where there aren't any others- it could be a real draw if they had more to offer than atmosphere. The food — to me — is more cafeteria than café... and as it turns out, that mute, hand-tied host is actually the owner.

All the major credit cards are accepted. Street parking only.

Open 7 days:

Monday -Thursday 5:00 pm -10:00 PM

Friday & Saturday 5:00pm -11:00 PM

Sundays 5:00pm - 9:00 PM

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