Even though the school year just began, students are already becoming tired of their meal plans or dealing with having to cook for themselves. Like me, they are probably looking for a place with great food, that is not too far away, with a more personal atmosphere than a dining hall.
A friend of mine suggested going to Villa Valenti, a family-operated Italian restaurant in Wynantskill. We got a group of friends together to go out for a nice relaxing dinner where we were sure to get a good meal.
While the drive to the restaurant seemed a little long, it was relatively easy to get there. From the exterior, the building is set back from the road and difficult to identify.
I was expecting big signs pointing me to the Villa Valenti, home of some great Italian food. If my friend hadn’t known where we were going, I probably would have been lost. I could see Christmas lights in the trees outside, so I’m assuming it’s more easily recognized when it is dark outside; we opted for an early dinner to beat the rush.
The inside had a very welcoming feel, and we were seated promptly by a very nice hostess. We had made reservations, given that it was Friday night, but it was still relatively quiet inside. Our waitress came over within a minute to get our drink orders while we looked over the menu. After we ordered our meals, we were given warm rolls with oil and were allowed up to the 40-item salad bar. I found almost everything I like in my salads, but I think it would have been perfect if there were bacon bits and shredded cheese.
The waitress was very good with her timing and was always available to clear dishes or refill drinks while we waited for the main course. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli in their homemade “pink” sauce, which is a combination of their marinara and alfredo sauces. Since my meal was pasta, it didn’t come with a side dish of pasta and sauce, but each of my friends who had the option made sure to get the pink sauce.
One of the biggest dishes ordered was the Chicken Sorrento—layers of chicken, eggplant, and cheese. It’s basically chicken parmesan with eggplant thrown in, and it’s a lot of food. My friend tried the seafood e foglia, my second choice, which smelled delicious when they brought it out. However, it was difficult to open the tinfoil pouch it was wrapped in, and juices started to run across the table.
All in all, everyone enjoyed their dinners, and no one had any room left for dessert. Almost every meal was enough food for both dinner that night and lunch the next day. The entrees range from $11 to $21, with the least expensive dishes ranging from plain homemade pasta to pricier meals with chicken, seafood, or beef. We decided not to get an appetizer, since we had bread and salad while we waited, but the options range from garlic bread to heaping piles of mixed
fried seafood.
To get to Villa Valenti, start off going to the end of 15th Street toward Pawling Avenue. Take the right at the end of 15th, stay in the right lane, and veer right onto Pawling. Just keep following Pawling through Brunswick to North Greenbush. After a few miles, take a right to follow route 150 or West Sand Lake Road. The road will split into routes 150 and 136; take the left to follow 150, and the restaurant will be a couple miles ahead on the left.
