VENETO Ristorante Italiano: the easiest way to have an evening in Italy.

• Author: Biton, Adva
• Position: Around Utah

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Salt Lake City -- When friends would ask Verona, Italy, native Marco Stevanoni and his wife, Amy, where their favorite place in town for Italian food was, their answer was easy: their own home. Now, the Stevanonis have opened their doors to treat others to truly authentic northern Italian cuisine with VENETO RISTORANTE ITALIANO.

Located in the small house on 370 E. 900 South that was long occupied by Forage, VENETO Ristorante has made the space all its own. The decor is full of beautifully mismatched European antique furniture, such as a large Italian settee and a collection of different chairs at each table, giving a feeling of an at-home gathering. A vintage Italian illustrated poster from the 1950s hangs on the wall--one of only perhaps 200 still in existence today, said Marco. Everything, said Amy, is curated to make patrons feel they are truly walking into the northeast Italian region of Veneto.

"We're not trying to be all things Italian," she said. "We're really focused on that region, on the food of that region, on the traditions of that region. Coming here, having a meal here, is the cheapest round-trip fare that you can get to Italy."

As such, don't expect to come into VENETO and see chicken piccata or eggplant parmesan. Don't even expect crushed red pepper flakes. Marco creates the menu--two menus, actually, a standard and a seasonal--and his focus is entirely on creating an authentic culinary experience. Looking for spaghetti? You'll get fresh bigoli instead, a thicker, toothier version of its well-known cousin, which is more popular in the Veneto region. Everything, from the pasta to the cheese selection, is thoughtful and authentic, a reward for the culinarily curious.

For a first bite, a patron might get a taste of Italy with some melon and guanciale, but those ingredients are all local. While the wines and some cheeses in VENETO are imported, the meats and...