Dema's Italian Bistro - Gilbert

Gilbert Arizona. A city jumped from generations of hard-working farmers, small entrepreneurs, and it is very own military base. A city that recently burst out of its rural cocoon and developed in a huge landscape with stucco houses, football mother, franchised restaurants, complete with a Walgreens at every corner. A city that seems to have lost, it's small town feeling once brought out from family businesses and restaurants. Enter Baci Italian Bistro. One of the few remaining family restaurants where his heels dug and survived the fast urbanization that she recurred. This is until she closes her doors and moves a little south into her own newer modern earth tinted Stucco building. Behind a building, the generations of Gilbert natives, Airman and Arizona State University Co-eds were seen as a well-known institution. Fortunately, God or federally protected ex-mob members had something in the camp for the historic building. This is now known as Demas Italian Bistro. The owners of this new restaurant saved the building and turned it directly into the local family restaurant that it was always. What makes Dema even more seductive is the brand new tattoo shop that recently appears next door. Now I'm going there. Gilbert Yuppies, be careful. The first thing you notice when parking there are the handwritten signs that stick out from the most dirty parking their dishes and the prices you expect to pay. This immediately turned my wife off the idea of further venting, but of course it had the opposite effect on me. After a short coaxing and a speech on the meaning of an Indiana Jones like adventurous nature, we went. Immediately greeted by a young and friendly waitress, we were led to a table and besides what seemed to be the only other couple in the restaurant – a big old white and a younger Asian woman who seemed somewhat confused about the menu options. I noticed what seemed to be a cook or another employee at another table dedicated to a dish of delicious looking wings. The color on the walls was a devastating attempt to present a toscan feeling on it, and the table clothing was stereotypically printed red and white stripes woven into a wall carpet that cries “Italian family restaurant”. Before us a large screen T.V. broadcast was a poker tournament on ESPN. The band was just enough to hear the map commentary – but was drowned by fraudulent Italian music from unknown sources. There is nothing quite similar to eating to the sounds of Dean Martin while you play paranoides sunglass with shower bags cards for enormous amounts of money. After I witnessed that the cook had eaten her own wings, I had to try them. Please. So much for adventure. They came hot at the table and cooked very nicely. You know, not like rubber? Only the correct amount of cripples followed by an enormous amount of skill I did not know could come out of the wing of a buffalo. I recommend the wings, but not the “mild”. Because this is very mild to put it mild. I don’t think they offer “medium” so just go for the hot ones. Dinner for me was a toss between Ravioli and Manicotti. Manicotti (with meat sauce won after a short request about the portion size. Ravioli, I was told, numbered 6 in total and was in portion to the Manicotti. Good old-fashioned spaghetti and meat sauce. Daughter? Chicken Fatuccine Alfredo. As “Moon River” played in the midst of the poker game commentary, the page came salads. A small bowl with very fresh ingredients, including some of the best chopped tomatoes I had in a while – with a great tasting Ranch Dressing. Salads complete, from spaghetti and fatuccine Alfredo. I had to wait a few minutes for my manicotti. My wife reported that her spaghetti was really good, but the meat sauce was a bit too sweet for her taste and the food became faster that she would have expected. My daughter reported (now remember she's 17 and knows more about good Alfredo sauce than Mario Batali, and I quote, "Dad, this is perhaps the best Alfredo sauce I've ever had." Of course I had to confirm this assertion and with a bite. I realized that it was indeed quite tasty, with a pronounced buttery taste to it – perhaps a bit overwhelming so. But my daughter knows more about her favorite dish than I do, so she recommends it very much. About 3 minutes later my manicotti came. Very hot...so, perfect. A large part of 3 cheese filled pasta tubes covered with a beautiful red meat sauce and mozzarella and with some green stuff (possibly basil? above. It was cheesy, fussy, saucy, goodness. The cheeses that filled the pasta were not dry, but smooth and velvety. The pasta was a little overcooked in parts, but overall it was a very good dish. Would I get the same court again? Probably not. Just because some of their other dishes looked attractive, including their calzone, pizzas and chicken marsala. Oh, yeah... we get DID dessert for home use. And to shame Godfather, we left the plates and took the Canoli. Two chocolate canoli for my ladies and one regular for me. If I would rate them, I would have to say that they taste very similar to the Canolis my Italian Brooklyn native neighbor makes for Christmas in their own kitchen, so draw your own conclusion. Price? Now dinner for 3 of us including the wing and tip left me $60.43 poorer. The Canoli's, which were sold separately, cost me $12.86 (including a dollar tip just because I would go back to keep it to the Italian cuisine known as Olive Garden? Yes, but please lose the large screen TV, get more authentic Italian music, and a new color job.