It’s like something ripped from Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp.” You walk in to dimmed lighting, with Frank Sinatra playing softly in the background, and sit at a red and white checkered table cloth with the single red candle placed in the center.

Pasquale’s Italian Pizzeria is a family owned New York style gourmet Italian restaurant that serves just what you’d expect. Their pasta, calzones and Panini ranged in price from $7.50 to $13.50, with pizzas priced between $14.50 and $31 for an extra large Pasquale’s Superb.

As waitresses brought different tables something from each of those categories each dinner looked and smelled better than the next. This reporter’s party flew through the complimentary garlic bread as well as orders of both Cheese Bread and Bruschetta (garlic bread topped with tomatoes, garlic and mixed spices). The first was buttery and covered in mozzarella while the latter had just the right amount of crunch and tart.

The entrées followed close behind. This reporter ordered a Chicken Parmesan Sub and a lemon-flavored Pellegrino to drink. The sub was a foot-long roll covered in butter, garlic and a special meat sauce all topped with a baked, breaded chicken breast covered with mozzarella, parmesan cheeses and wax peppers.

The dish was savory and, at the risk of sounding cliché, really did seem to melt in the mouth. The chicken was perfectly tender in the center and slightly crispy on the outside, the meat sauce tasted fresh, the cheese was melted just enough to keep from getting greasy and the wax peppers added just a little zing to every other bite.

After the main course, the table split three orders of cannoli (tube-shaped pastry shells filled a sweet cream filling). This last dish was a bit too sweet, but there wasn’t a bite left when the check was brought out.

Pasquale’s Italian Pizzeria
7609 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Carmichael, CA 95608
Open Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Price range per meal: $12 – $17 Meal for one