You Don't Want to Let These Meatballs Roll out the Door

So, the hub surprised us by taking the day off today.   After taking our oldest daughter to school this morning, he came home and said he wanted to take my youngest and myself out on a date for lunch.  Since we'd eyeballed Sugo's Spaghetteria in Edwardsville during a few drive-bys, we decided this would be our next culinary conquest.
Entering the glass doors off of the strip mall, we were immediately transported to Sicily and Northern Italy by not only the mouth-watering aromas, but also the large, rustic wooden doors.  Seated near a window with a clear view of the open-concept kitchen, we were immediately given a swingtop bottle of water and three glasses.  This self-serve beverage service bodes well with our family since we are all wateraholics.  Also, it's nice not to have to flag anyone down when one's throat is parched.  In addition, a loaf of freshly baked artisan bread with a bowl of rich olive oil in which to dip was placed at our table.  As soon as the last piece was snagged from the communal bread plate, another loaf was placed at our table with a fresh bowl of olive oil, a carb-lovers delight.
The one-page menu was easy to read and foreshadowed the freshness of the ingredients.  Although no child's menu was available, we were able to come up with a half-order scenario which satisfied both my daughter's desire for Spaghetti and Meatballs and my desire to try the Caesar Salad along with the Chicken Spiedini Special.  Unsurprisingly, the hub quickly opted for the House-made Lasagna.
Expecting a huge bowl of spaghetti with maybe three golf-ball sized meatballs, we were all pleasantly surprised when a meatball nearly the size of my four-year-old daughter's head was placed before her embraced with perfectly-cooked noodles.  The fresh basil inside the meatball along with the seasonings was like an explosion of Sicilian splendor in our mouths.  Yes, I have now vowed to give my basil garden yet another try this planting season.
The seemingly deconstructed lasagna with "way more meat" (a culinary term) than noodles covered the entirety of his plate.  The slivers of fresh Parmesan on top with ricotta and beschamel sauce delicately layered throughout was like icing on the cake.   
The Chicken Spiedini had been skewered and then sauteed until a flavorful crust had been formed.  Making the "mistake" of offering some of the chicky to my daughter, she kept coming back for more.  Well, okay, I snagged pieces of meatball off of her plate, too.
In fact, after we had all played musical plates more than once, not a bite was left for a "hamster bag."  Shhhh!  Don't tell Sweetie!
In the end, we waddled to our car with full bellies debating who had ordered the superior item on the menu.  Perhaps, we'll just have to return sooner rather than later in order to try and resolve this conflict.   

Courtney Winkler