Mary P.
Yelp
We traveled to Colorado Springs from California by car and, let's just say our road trip meals were very "practical." After so many fast food meals and quick service salads, we needed something more substantial.
We were in town for my son's figure skating competion and were taken in by how charming the city was. My husband looked around for dinner options and this place was well reviewed. The thing is, I tend to be skeptical about Italian restaurants since we cook a lot of pasta at home. I tend to view pasta places the way I do breakfast - why pay more for something I make in my own kitchen, right? But we were hungry and something comforting like a heaping bowl of pasta sounded appealing so we checked it out.
Off the bat, the place is well located and very well appointed. It's warm and welcoming but not homely or stodgy. There's a freshness to it and the decor is quite...well, handsome is how I can best describe it.
All the staff, from host to bartender to servers, were attentive and personable. I get the sense they treat each other like family.
We were seated in the back dining area with our kids which was quieter and more private. My husband ordered a red wine and though I don't recall which one, it was pleasant.
For the appetizer, my kids picked the cheesy garlic bread with the tomato bisque which was phenomenal. The bisque is particularly well balanced and we learned it is the pride of the establishment. My two younger kids ordered pasta with it as the sauce. My older kid had a chicken parmigiana which he said was excellent and my husband was blown away by the linguine tutto mare. So blown away he had to sop up the remaining broth with the bread. He said he's never had anything like it and he's had some remarkable culinary experiences before. We both have, so that says a lot.
Now, I've made carbonara and I've had carbonara. It's my favorite pasta dish. I've had it in America , I've had it in Rome, I've made it at home. Red Gravy's chef, whoever he is, has made a superior carbonara to anything I have ever had in my entire existence. I don't say this lightly. Also, restaurants give such generous portions that I rarely finish my meals no matter how much I enjoy them. I completely cleared my bowl at Red Gravy. I didn't want to see an end to that dish. It was sublime. I told my husband that the chef reminded me what food was supposed to taste like. I still long to return just for that dish and a goblet of red.
If you're wondering what made it so good, I'd say it was the balance. Just the perfect interplay of the salty pancetta, the rich egg yolk sauce, the bite of the pasta. It was symphonic. Nothing was overbearing but still decadent yet not heavy. To execute a dish like that, one that's been served for years all over the world, but to do so with such skill, is impressive. Someday, if I'm lucky, I'll be back.