Ferrari’s Restaurant • Taylor

Ferrari’s Restaurant • Taylor

Written by Mark Collins Friday, 13 June 2008

The first time the Ferrari family served pizza in Texas in 1959, Austinites were wondering what a pizza was, exactly.

“We had people pointing at the cans of tomato sauce asking if that was where pizza came from,” chef Rick Ferrari said.

Don and Jean Ferrari founded the original Ferrari’s Restaurant in Austin at the intersection of 34th Street and Lamar Boulevard in the 1950s. The family has Sicilian roots and brought authentic Italian recipes with them.

In 1987 Ferrari’s in Austin closed its doors. After nearly 30 years in the restaurant business, the family was looking forward to retirement. However, a friend of the family who owned a restaurant in Taylor had fallen on hard times and asked the Ferrari family for assistance.

Twenty-one years later, the Ferrari family owns and operates the restaurant, having turned it into the Ferrari’s with which local diners have fallen in love. Don and Jean still work in the background at the restaurant, while their children, Rick and Shelly, have taken over most of the daily operations.

The crown jewel of Ferrari’s menu is, obviously, the Italian food. Traditional Italian dishes are served with a just-like-mom’s home-style flavor that is complemented by the comfortable dining atmosphere.

The Fettuccini Alfredo ($7.95) is available with chicken ($11.45) and is served with garlic bread. The alfredo has a robust, cheesy parmesan flavor that is not too rich and does not overwhelm the diner by the end of the meal.

If four layers of lasagna ($8.75) are not enough, the size of the portions will be. After I gawked at the size of the plate, the waitress smiled and said, “You never leave here hungry.” Each layer was filled with spicy ground beef and topped with cheese before being doused with a zippy marinara sauce.

The veal parmesan ($10.25) was so tender that a knife was unnecessary. The crisp, light breading retained its crunch while absorbing just enough of the marinara sauce to add flavor to the meat.

In addition to Italian cuisine, Ferrari’s also serves Mexican and American food. The items were added to the menu in 1987, when the restaurant relocated, to accommodate the German and Czech population in Taylor.

Of all the items on the diverse menu, the chicken fried steak ($6.95) is most popular. The breaded steak came with creamy homemade gravy. A deliciously prepared baked potato piled high with toppings and a buttery roll were also served alongside the meal.

Ferrari’s kitchen offers several tasty desserts. The enormous piece of carrot cake ($4) was moist and topped with a delicate cream cheese frosting. The pecan cobbler ($4) is a unique take on a traditional dessert and has a taste reminiscent of pecan pie.

Members of the Ferrari family have no plans to retire anytime soon, and that’s a good thing for their many fans.

Weekly specials

• Monday: Chicken fried steak – Buy one, get one half off
• Tuesday: Lasagna – Buy one, get one half off
• Wednesday: 12 oz. sirloin steak $10
• Thursday: Shelly’s Mexican chicken con queso – Buy one, get one half off
• Friday: Catfish plate – Buy one, get one half off
• Saturday and Sunday: Breakfast buffet
• Sunday: Lunch buffet 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week

Ferrari’s Restaurant, 1425 N. Main St., Taylor, 365-7736