"Brick-shaped" may not be a term typically applied to food. At least, not lovingly. That is, unless you are talking about lasagna.
For anyone who shares Garfield's passion, it's disappointing when ordering lasagna results in a plate of flat pasta with just a few layers swimming in sauce. On the other hand, when a server drops off a brick of the layered dish with sharp corners and a few inches of height, it incites both a sigh of relief and a gasp of excitement.
At Fabio on Fire, the revered West Valley restaurant led by chef and owner Fabio Ceschetti, the lasagna is a showstopper. It's also an unusual iteration. The layers here don't include pasta trading off with meat and cheese. Instead, the brick is almost solid pasta. Sheets and sheets are stacked tightly with just a whisper of sauce in between. The meat and sauce is added afterward, as a rich bolognese used as a base and topping.
Fabio on Fire opened its doors in 2013, introducing true Italian food to a city more familiar with the likes of Olive Garden. Over the years, the restaurant has gained a staunch following of customers who flock in for dinner during the week and lunch on the weekends. Customers share pizzas piping hot from the wood-fired oven roaring in the center of the restaurant. They split bottles of Italian wine and linger over pistachio gelato and shots of espresso.
The menu offers a wide range of starters including creamy and crunchy arancini, bruschetta served on Ceschetti's ciabatta Pugliese and fresh salads topped with pears and burrata. Entrees include pizzas and a selection of pastas, including tender lobster Tortelli bathed in a perfectly balanced vodka sauce.
For dessert, gelato is accompanied by cannoli and tiramisu — the latter also served in brick-shaped portions. But if you order just one dish at this West Valley gem, make sure it's the oh-so-satisfying lasagna.
