Italian Restaurant in Alton was the Food for Thought That the Dining Divas Needed

     By Lisa Kampeter

I went into our last Dining Divas expecting to be disappointed. Our originally scheduled restaurant of choice did not confirm the reservation I had made. I actually made the reservation the old-fashioned way and called them, but I had to leave a message.

When I followed up with them (just a few days from our night out), they said they could only get us in after 9:30. I asked why no one had called to let me know this, and they claimed they didn’t know I had inquired. Regardless of where the miscommunication came from, once again, this much anticipated Dining Divas restaurant was now on our short list of “never to try.” (We’d since tried again, and they basically don’t have the space for bigger groups.)

It was disappointing because several Divas were excited to try Louie’s, the restaurant on the “never to try” list. From the same group who owned King Louie’s, another Diva’s past favorite (and long gone), their menu looked wonderful. But now we’ll never know.

So, we had to find a replacement fast, and the Local Expert Diva suggested Decaro’s in Alton. She’d had their food at events that they’d catered, but she’d never eaten at the restaurant. Fortunately, they could accommodate us.

I read up a little on the history of the place, and the owner is living out his North County grandparents’ dream of opening a restaurant. We, of course, love to support all North County businesses, even if they cross over the river.

Because it was a typical winter night with bitter cold winds and precipitation earlier in the day, the big group wasn’t so big after all, but it was the perfect size and the perfect group for this gathering. We all listened intently as the Brave Diva shared with us the battle she was about to begin with endometrial cancer. The Visiting Diva was in town from out of state to be by her sister’s side through this very scary journey of the unknown. The Compassionate Diva’s words of comfort hopefully ensured her that even though it’s scary, she’s not ever going to be alone.

Unfortunately, several of us have experience with cancer, be it through other friends, family, clients, or personally.   The Hair Stylist Diva understands the heartache of hair loss and made wise recommendations for the “before” and “after” stages. While the main focus is on living, losing your hair can be one of the hardest parts of the battle. We talked about chemo cold caps, which help reduce hair loss, and all of us were hoping for the best. And then there was the food.

Decaro’s is a quaint little corner spot across from St. Mary’s, perfect for families, and not a far drive from Florissant at all. As an appetizer, we tried the Fried Risotto Balls. It’s not often that you find this on a menu, and fortunately, Decaro’s offers it because they were delicious. I don’t think it ever happens that when the Greek Diva goes to an Italian restaurant that she doesn’t order Cheese Garlic Bread. She did this time, too, and was pleased she did.

Disregarding the calories, the Weight Watcher Diva happily ordered the Bacon and Mushroom Fettucine, and she had no regrets.

The Pesto Penne is another great pasta option. The Visiting Diva ordered the Baked Mostaccioli, well, because it’s mostaccioli and it’s a St. Louis thing, and although it tasted good, it did not appear to be baked. It was just penne, meatballs, cheese and sauce. A medium pizza could have served three people (says the

Diva who had a salad and cheese garlic bread), but she looked forward to having several slices of the pepperoni, bacon, and black olive pie the next day.

We didn’t need the hype and commotion that we would have probably found at Louie’s. We needed our own quiet corner to have our own personal conversations. And even in the darkness of them all, you could see our laughter and the relief. And that’s the best part of this Dining Divas group. No matter what’s going on, we can always comfort each other. And laugh. Decaro’s was the perfect setting for this Dining Divas outing. The perfect food for thought. And for that reason, we’ll be back.

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