Ihave to admit it, I am like most other folks from around here and tend to believe that you have to go into the city to enjoy a really good meal. That's not to say that there aren't any first class restaurants out in darkest suburbia, where I live; it's just that they are few and far between.

BonCaldo attempts to change that. Located right on the edge of the road, about 5 miles north of the stadium, you can't miss its Italian villa looks and decorative iron work around the windows. Pull into the parking lot and you can see that this is a smart looking, recently renovated building.

Joe BonCaldo, the owner, has owned a number of successful restaurants and he knows how to make them work. Step into BonCaldo and you are immediately impressed with high quality decor and an overall upscale feel. The bar is in front of you as you step through the reception area and it is very plush. The dining areas are equally impressive and I was very taken with the murals and the large double sided fireplace.

So far so good then. A worthy contender from the surroundings standpoint, but how does the food and wine stack up against the downtown competition?

The answer is - really well! Sporting a brand new executive chef, Adam Laliberte, BonCaldo offers an excellent range of regional Italian dishes. Using a real wood fire grill, Adam produces a terrific range of very authentic dishes.

They have a large pleasing menu that lets you try items from a number of different regions. The pasta is made on the premises daily and can be enjoyed Italian style as a mid-course, in smaller portions.

Each dish has a note as to its region and you can use this information to select from BonCaldo's extensive and in some cases exclusive, Italian wine list.

BonCaldo is an interesting restaurant. It offers very authentic and upscale Italian food, a great wine list and attentive service all in first class surroundings. Joe BonCaldo has created a terrific dining establishment that really challenges my preconceived notion of needing to travel into Boston or Providence to find a high-end Italian restaurant. Right now he and Adam Laliberte own this particular stretch of Route 1 and are helping to conserve the planet's petroleum reserves by keeping yours truly from driving into town quite so often.