Catullo's Italian
I have been on a roll lately finding things that
big cities have, but Jacksonville was lacking. First the ramen, then the
Cuban sandwich, and now Italian food! There are a few Italian
restaurants in Jax, but none that give off that family
style, old Italian vibe. I’m looking for recipes passed down through
generations, handmade pasta, and large portions…and I have finally found
it...and it's a food truck!! Catullo’s Italian is pretty new to the Jacksonville scene.
Dubbed by many as the best Italian food in Jax, they already have quite the
reputation.
This review is a few months in the making. I have been trying to eat as many different menu items as I could before my review, and I have now completed that task! Italian is my favorite cuisine, always has been.
Maybe it’s because I am part Italian, even though you would never know
it looking at me. I’m super white. I know it. So when I found out there
was an Italian food truck that makes their
own pasta and uses family recipes combined with their own, I was beyond
excited. Their menu has so much deliciousness on it, and it is very
diverse. They have pastas, subs and sangwiches (that’s not a typo!),
pizza, and rollups.
On my first visit I decided to try something from their regular menu and one of their specials. I decided on the Sunday Suppa and Fast Baked Fusilli. The Sunday Suppa has marinara sauce with a giant meatball and a slice of bread. The sauce is chunky and hearty and the pasta is perfection. I love to chop the meatball up and mix it into the pasta. It makes me ridiculously happy.
On my first visit I decided to try something from their regular menu and one of their specials. I decided on the Sunday Suppa and Fast Baked Fusilli. The Sunday Suppa has marinara sauce with a giant meatball and a slice of bread. The sauce is chunky and hearty and the pasta is perfection. I love to chop the meatball up and mix it into the pasta. It makes me ridiculously happy.
The Fast Baked Fusilli was a special of the day, and I’m really glad I got it. The sauce was a Rosa sauce and was very creamy.
A few Saturdays ago we caught them at Academy Sports (Atlantic and Kernan). We tried their
Arrabbiata and I found another new favorite! The sauce was unbelievable and there were tons of sliced sausage pieces throughout the pasta.
Another special that is on the menu every so often is the Ravioli. If you see it on the menu, GET IT!
I haven’t been able to rip myself away from the
pasta yet, but I have sampled the pizza and was also blown away. It is
thin New York style, and deliciously cheesy. My husband has proclaimed
this the best pizza in Jax, and pizza is his favorite
food so he means business with that statement!
They offer Pepperoni and Cheese on their regular
menu, but keep an eye out for the Vampire Slayer. It is our favorite…
until they wow us with something new!
The roll ups are another standout menu item. I had the Dirt McGirt (Seasoned chicken, roasted red peppers, ricotta, garlic, basil pesto, provolone, mozzarella, balsamic glaze). It was cheesy and balsamicy (yeah I made up a new word, that’s how good it is.) It wasn’t too bready, and the bread was easy to bite through.
Another menu item I really love is the Mozzarella Sticks. They are pure cheese on the inside, breaded on the outside. So if you are a cheese-a-holic like me, you will be in love.
Verdict: Loved it!!
I have a very unhealthy obsession with Catullos. I
will admit that, and I will not apologize for it. This is the kind of
food that makes you swear like a sailor and moan suggestively while
eating it. It is easily the best and authentic Italian
food in Jacksonville, and I challenge anyone to disagree with that
statement. If you have not yet had the pleasure of eating there, you
need to remedy that immediately. There hasn’t been a restaurant in a
long time that has inspired this level of passion in
me, and I’m sure it will be a while before I find another one this
fabulous!
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