No matter how many fad diets or WebMD articles tell us that the cardinal sin of healthy living is carbs, sometimes a solid boost of carbs is just too tempting. For those times, La Gondola is the Decatur institution for you. It’s the ultimate Italian diner with pasta, fresh-baked bread and a ridiculous twist on pizza that is simply irresistible.
With a straightforward menu, La Gondola gives you the standard pasta choices—spaghetti, tortellini, ravioli and lasagna—with meat sauce or their meat-free marinara. So there you go, my fellow vegetarians. A tender (and huge) plate of pasta with a steadfast sweet and spicy tomato sauce is the meat and potatoes of this little diner’s menu. They also offer hot and cold sandwiches, from the classic ham, salami, cheese and lettuce Torpedo (and its veggie-filled counterpart) to a pizza burger or a grilled cheese. The mouth-watering carb options are seemingly endless.
But if you’re looking for a real carb coma, you absolutely have to get down with some pizza bread. Actually, the secret is in the name itself: the bread. Oh my goodness, this bread. Light and fluffy with a sweetness that will absolutely knock you out. You can buy a loaf on its own if you’d like, or you can take it to the next level with the pizza bread. Half a loaf of their one-of-a kind bread sliced open, topped with their marinara and a hefty helping of mozzarella. Sounds simple, but in this case, less is so much more.
This flavor-packed interpretation of pizza meets sub sandwich, ringing in at a college-student-friendly budget under $5, is sure to fill you to the brim and put you in a La Gondola daze for several of the coming hours. Be sure to block out some time for a movie or a nap or a complete lack of physical activity after this meal.
Wait, there’s more! If the epically portioned pasta and too-good-to-be-true pizza bread wasn’t enough, the atmosphere of La Gondola and the convenience of its drive-thru or carry out options are sure to seal the deal. It’s modestly-decorated dining area complete with the kitschy paisley curtains, park bench-looking booth seats and an overwhelming amount of the color beige give it that perfect local hole-in-the-wall touch that is guaranteed to be the beginning of some crazy weekend adventure stories.
Because sometimes you need your Italian food to have as much grease in it as all American food does. Because sometimes you need so many carbs that you leave with your hips a little wider than when you arrived. Because sometimes you don’t want to dress in your Sunday best and go to Olive Garden to get delicious Italian food. This is why La Gondola exists. With heavy portions that are light on your wallet and an atmosphere that says, “We’re not trying to be something we’re not,” La Gondola is the perfect Italian diner for every Millikin student.
Check them out at lagondolaspeghettihouse.com or look them up on Facebook. And next time you’re looking for quick, crave-quenching Italian food with just a hint of local flair, head straight to La Gondola at 2825 North Water Street. Mine was so good I couldn’t even stop eating to take a picture.