Monday night’s Italian night as Gina returns

Gina Isgro Italian cuisine back and at Ryan’s Tavern Monday nights.

Ohio’s abundance of water parks makes it easy to melt away your cares
10:55 a.m.
Taste of Cincinnati expected to draw 500,000 people
5/24/12
Local ingredients key for bartender
5/16/12
Hamilton theater group presents ‘History of America’
5/16/12
How well do you know Kings Island?
5/13/12
> More headlines

11:52 PM Thursday, September 1, 2011

By Teri Horsely

Contributing Writer

If you’ve been around Hamilton long enough, you know the name Isgro is synonymous with great Italian food. I first ate at the East Avenue restaurant when I was in grade school because my family always celebrated my birthday there. Today, I still credit the Isgros for starting my lifelong love affair with sauce and though the original restaurant is gone, I’ll never forget the sights, tastes and smells that to me still mean family.

It was this fondness for Isgros that caused me to be overjoyed a couple of years ago, when Gina’s opened in the old Wolpert’s Café. Once again, I would be able to enjoy the food that made me a fan of Italian cuisine. Once again, I would get to dine on my favorite dishes like mostaccioli, lasagna, and Aunt Josephine’s Antipasti salad. The Isgros were back, and as Gina served up her family recipes, life for me was good. Then, the economy went south, Gina’s closed earlier this year, and once again, I thought my relationship with Isgros was forever lost. Fortunately, I was wrong.

Gina Isgro is back in business and this time she’s joined forces with another one of my favorite restaurants, Ryan’s Tavern. Gina Isgro’s Italian Night at Ryan’s kicked off this week and from my point of view, Monday nights in Hamilton will never be the same.

“We understand how difficult it is to run a business in this tough economy and we wanted to make our existing Italian night even more authentic so we partnered with Gina Isgro,” said tavern owner Vickie Ryan.

The Italian night menu features the traditional Isgro favorites mentioned above, as well as Irish fare like the Ryan’s Reuben, fish and chips and meatloaf. Specially priced Italian Lambrusco, Pino Grigio and Chianti as well as Stella Italian beer has been added at the bar, and Italian desserts like tiramisu and spumoni round out the special menu.

I recently had the chance to sample the mostaccioli and just as I remember it, the sauce was robust without being overpowering and the meatball was huge and spiced just right. The fresh baked garlic bread is still scrumptious and the best way for me to sum it all up is to say that Ryan’s is where I now plan to spend many of my Monday nights.

Reservations are recommended for those attending the Italian night which will not be offered on Labor Day as the restaurant will be closed.

Contact this writer at foodgirl61@gmail.com

Life

Share this article