If you don't live in or around Laveen Village, Mimi Forno Italiano may feel like a magical find, a secret gem seemingly hidden in a part of town largely stereotyped to be filled with chain restaurants lacking culinary finesse.
But those who live nearby or in the greater southwest Valley know that's not true at all. Customers dutifully pack into the small strip mall space that houses Mimi Forno Italiano to wait for a table.
Owner Domenico Cavallo grew up along the southern coast of Italy in Salerno. When he relocated to the Valley, Cavallo set out to bring a taste of home to metro Phoenix, opening his Italian restaurant in 2018. Since then, it has grown to become a true neighborhood favorite.
The small, open-plan restaurant features tables packed with customers, a short bar and accompanying stools, and a pizza oven imported from Italy. Set on each table, tall, thin-stemmed wine glasses add elegance to the affair, exquisitely presenting the extensive yet selective wine list.
The pizzas are marvelous — big, generously topped pies with pillowy soft crusts. For fans of meat-lovers pizza, make sure to try the Polpetta, a pie topped with imported ham, sausage, basil, mozzarella, and thin slices of Mimi's house meatballs.
Pasta dishes ooze indulgence. And rotating specials bring new ideas to the table. Steak served with creamy risotto draws envious glances from surrounding tables as it's presented to one lucky diner. A slab of Mascarpone Cheesecake does the same.
The best way to kick off a meal at this gem of a neighborhood joint is with a starter. The Arancini plate includes four golden-fried risotto balls encrusted with breadcrumbs and begging to be dunked into an accompanying spicy red marinara sauce served on the side.
When cut into, the arancini release a breath of steam before delicately falling apart. Cubes of cheese stretch to hold soft rice together as the creamy insides mix with the bright tomato sauce. The sauce brings acid and spice. The rice adds starchiness and creaminess. The fried exterior lends a satisfying crunch to the perfectly balanced bite.
This is the kind of dish that complements a restaurant like Mimi Forno Italiano perfectly. The restaurant is in tune with the neighborhood, its community, and its customers. The arancini are the perfect start to a multi-course date night extravaganza. Or, they are a fantastic option for a couple sitting at the bar sipping glasses of wine and sharing a snack.
They are comforting, delicious, and have a way of making you feel at home, whether or not you have ever been to Italy.
Mimi Forno Italiano
3624 West Baseline Road, #174, Laveen Village602-368-4612
mimifornoitaliano.com
