Restaurant review: Il Radicchio
1801 Clarendon Blvd.
Arlington, Va.
(703) 276-2627

Restaurants with gimmicks often flop, but the endless spaghetti paired with a variety of a la carte sauces at this little-known spot offer some tasty Italian food at a reasonable price.

Steer clear of the main dishes, often overpriced and inconsistent. You should be thinking either spaghetti with a sauce or two, each served in its own gravy boat, or a pizza.

You really can't go wrong with the spaghetti sauces, though the best choices tend to be the thicker tomato- and cream-based varieties. The Amatriciana sauce pops with pancetta, onions and pepper flakes; even the plain pomodoro is flavorful. Two cream sauces that routinely draws raves boast unexpected ingredients, pistachios in one, sausage in the other. The spaghetti is almost always cooked perfectly, but a few bum bowls were quickly replaced with new noodles. Endless pasta is $6.50 per person, with the sauces running $2.50 to $4 each.

Pizza is your other choice, and don't hesitate to skip the mozz. One favorite created from two-dozen or so ingredients, springs from a base of tomato, olive oil, basil and garlic, then sausage and gorgonzola. The creamy gorgonzola pairs nicely with the sauce, and is perfectly complimented by a perfectly crisp thin crust. A big-boy sized calzone is perfect for the healthy appetite. Most of the individual pizzas are under $10.

The wine list isn't much to look at, but all are drinkable, and most are available in half and full carafes. Desserts were mostly forgettable. A handful of tables are available outside, but expect a few horns honked at the busy intersection.

Bottom line: In an area with few true neighborhood favorites, Il Radicchio is a diamond in the rough, worthy of a leisurely late-evening bite.