Bites Nearby: Louie's

I’ll admit I was none too happy when Louie’s restaurant moved from 12th and Chew streets to its new home off 31st and Lehigh streets in southwest Allentown, a block from Salisbury Township.

The old place was worn and cramped, but charming and homey too and we almost always knew someone else in line as we waited for a table holding our little brown bag of wine or beer.

But I don’t think I ever gave the new digs  a decent chance. There was one raucous weekend visit where we waited a long time for a table while a band played too loud for us to talk. Then, just as we got served, we lost our waitress to a conga line while I sadly waited for a fork. There were other visits when we simply gave up and headed elsewhere when we saw a line outside and a full parking lot.

So, last week, we tried again – this time on a weeknight when it was less busy. We knew this place pretty well under different names: Pancho & Sonny’s, Artepasta Too, Conway’s. But now, with its family photos, familiar menu, the prominent 12th and Chew street sign near the bar and Louie Belletieri greeting customers, it felt like Louie’s.

Our attentive waitress, Jenny, brought us a bottle of Chianti (we didn't have to bring our own this time) and helped my fiancée with vegetarian options, going back to the kitchen to see if the Italian vegetable soup was indeed vegetarian (yes) and again to see if there was any whole grain pasta (yes, and they have gluten-free as well). She and the other servers working that night were exceptionally friendly and helpful.

Meanwhile, I ordered mussels marinara. They were cooked just right and covered with Louie’s excellent marinara sauce, which is  one of my favorites, fresh and full of tomato  chunks.

My fiancée went with the vegetable soup, a tomato soup with vegetables, not quite as thick as a typical minestrone, but just what she wanted. She also had Louie’s Famous Tossed Salad, a mix of greens, tomato and olives covered with gorgonzola.

I ordered the pasta sampler, which came with a not-so-small version of Louie’s antipasta salad. This 21-ingredient extravaganza of greens, meat, cheese and marinated vegetables is a meal in itself – one I’d ordered more than a few times as takeout from the old place.

My entrée was a selection of three of Louie’s specialty pasta dishes, lasagna, tortellini and manicotti. The lasagna was serious: Layers of pasta, pork, beef, veal, sausage and ricotta covered with browned mozzarella. The meat sauce inside had a rich, melded, slow-cooked flavor that stood up to its heavy topping of tomato sauce and mozzarella.

The manicotti, however, suffered from a similar treatment. The ricotta filling was overpowered by its topping of marinara and mozzarella. A little less on top here would have allowed the delicate flavor of the ricotta to stand out.

The unfilled tortellini was just slightly al dente and presented a chewy palate for Louie's rich tomato sauce. Earthy and smooth, the tomato sauce was a good counterpoint to the chunky, garlicky marinara.

My fiancée went with the whole wheat pasta with mushroom marinara. It was tasty, as you might expect, with lots of mushrooms – and lots of leftovers, for both of us.

My dinner also came with a mini pumpkin cannoli, which I didn't realize when I ordered. In the spirit of full disclosure, I'll just say that I don't like cannoli and neither of us would never knowingly order one. However, we both tried it. The crunchy shell was filled with sweet cream that had a subtle essence of  pumpkin pie flavor. Drizzled in chocolate and presented with pillows of whipped cream, it was attractive and tasty. 

The bill was quite reasonable at $62, including wine, before tip. Louie’s has daily specials and the night we went one of our appetizers – my mussels – was just a dollar.

While I won’t say we don’t miss brown-bagging it to 12th and Chew (Louie’s recently opened a steak shop there), we were glad to reconnect with Louie’s and plan to go back, though we’ll still skip the conga line.

Weekends are busy with live music featuring a variety of musical styles. Check www.louiesrestaurant.com for a music schedule and specials. Louie’s doesn’t take reservations, but you can call ahead for preferred seating. Louie's offers outdoor seating and take-out. 

Louie’s

2071 31st St. SW

Allentown, Pa., 18103

(610) 791-1226

Hours: 11 a.m.- 11 p.m. daily