Dining with D.A.D.

Eddie Spaghetti [visit] | Fettucini alfredo w/ chicken 
Clemson, SC

My mother once told me, “Never order Italian at a restaurant. You’ll just be disappointed.” My mother is wise. Prophetic even. Nostradamus looks like a less annoying version of Miss Cleo in comparison. Growing up in house of mixed European origins, we often ate Italian. And as I ventured into the big, scary world, I found myself craving dishes like my mom used to make. (Well, my mom wasn’t actually the best cook growing up. (Sorry, mom. (She’s certainly improved, though! (I’m so dead.))) More like grandma or my aunts used to make.) Lo and behold, Italian food at restaurants sucks–generally speaking. (Way to go, mom!)

Then I discovered Eddie Spaghetti. (C’mon, mom!)

The place looks like a poorly designed community theater set–checkered table cloths, cutsie salt & pepper shakers, and all. But the food is outstanding, especially considering that it’s in Clemson, South Carolina–a town known only for more for Dabo Swinney than good fettucini. (See what I did there?) 

Nonetheless, I’ve ordered a variety of dishes in my two years in Clemson, and I have never been disappointed. I especially recommend the fettucini alfredo with chicken. Like most of their offerings, the fettucini is simple. Egg noodles, alfredo sauce, and lightly blackened chicken. You’re not overwhelmed by competing spices or underwhelmed by lack of taste. You’re simply whelmed by the simple, tasty combination of ingredients.

The sauce is pretty much the perfect mixture of creamy and sticky, neither running off your plate nor too thick to stop you from delightfully twirling your fork. The noodles, too, are cooked long enough to make them edible but with enough *umph* so they don’t fall apart with aforementioned fork-play. (That’s called “al dente” or something. Some foreign word.) I admit that the chicken is nothing to email your already-annoyed family about, and the dish would probably be just as good without it. Regardless, I know how some of you people are. You don’t eat a meal unless it has some sort of meat. (Don’t look around. You know who you are.)

If you’re not satisfied with the heaping mound of pasta, your lunch order comes with garlic knots–twisted bits of dough covered in olive oil, garlic, and parmesan (!)–and the dinner order adds soup or salad. Lunch is, by far, a much better deal at around $8. Paying $12+ at dinner is a little more expensive than I’m comfortable with, and I probably wouldn’t pay it if it wasn’t so damn good.

So, if you’re in the area, give it shot. You won’t be disappointed. And if you are, you’re probably a Yankee with damaged taste buds–at least, that’s what they’ll tell you.

DTR