Mauricios!

( I found this picture on the internet because I was silly enough to forget to take one) 

 http://mauricioscookeville.com/
NOT your typical Italian restaurant. When you work at a hometown italian restaurant in college, (Marina's in Murfreesboro,TN) you have a hard time enjoying other italian food. Other than Maggianos and Macaroni Grill, I feel like a lot of italian food is watered down and spaghetti O'd! I remember one visit to Olive Garden where the server even told me they put water in their alfredo because heavy cream was too expensive...he put heavy cream in mine because he felt bad for selling me something other than the real, good, fattening kind of alfredo. (As if we need heavy cream in our tummies haha)

So, Mauricios! We had the absolute pleasure of meeting Blake's Mom Leigh Ann and Lonas there in Cookeville, TN. We met halfway between Maryville, TN and White House, TN to celebrate my birthday a little late. It was THE BEST italian food that I've had in a long time! I had lobster ravioli with a lemon cream sauce; talk about melt in your mouth! Blake had vodka pasta with a side of alfredo, Leigh Ann had the signature chicken dish with rosemary noodles, and Lonas had their talapia! So, if you're ever passing through Cookeville, TN and you're looking for a cozy, well priced, well decorated, hospitable atmosphere then stop at Mauricios! As you can imagine, we'll be meeting there again next time we need to meet halfway. MMM! If I were to open a restaurant it would be just like this one; with a bigger dessert menu of course!