Figlio in Kettering, Ohio

The Kettering Moraine Oakwood Chamber's Women in Business met at Figlio (pronounced fee'-lee-oh) in Town & Country Shopping center for their monthly networking luncheon, and I was super excited, since I'd never been there and heard a lot of great buzz. Plus, I already know they have wood-fired pizza ovens, which is good enough for me.

The decor in the place is muted but classy, and the layout is interesting and fun. So, right to the important stuff: the food was fantastic. There was a mixed baby greens salad with pine nuts, gorgonzola & sun-dried tomatoes in a vinaigrette. I love salad and I get all tingly when I see pine nuts, so I was into it. I sampled a little bit of the pasta, but only a spoonful because I wanted to save my carb overload for the pizza. The pasta dish (Chicken Diablo, I think) was simple, but perfect. Penne in a spicy tomato cream sauce with wilted spinach, fresh tomatoes, grilled chicken and I may have detected some tiny bits of onion and/or bacon in there. Very similar to one of my own favorite dishes that I make for dinner when Mr. FvF isn't joining me.

Finally, a cell phone camera that takes a decent picture!

The pizza won my heart, just like I knew it would. The toppings were fresh and flavorful and the crust was an absolutely perfect rustic Neopolitan - perfect in a way that only a wood-fired oven can produce. Just crispy enough, just the right amount of chew.
These folks really like to starch it up, so things capped off with one of the top five tiramisus I've ever had.

Figlio's owner Peter Danis was our host and speaker, and was just as lovely as the food. His stories about his family and how he got into the restaurant business (via real estate law) were so genuine and entertaining. He gave all of the gals a great, simple bread recipe (which you can watch Peter make on YouTube) and a voucher for a freebie Peasant Salad (brought into Figlio from the Old Peasant Stock menu).

Although lunch didn't come out of my pocket today, the prices are still pretty reasonable. You can check their website for the menu with pricing, too. Given my mild gluten intolerance, I won't be able to frequent Figlio, but I certainly can't wait to go back.

5 out of 5 sporks!