You never forget your first time. I was sighing over a forkful of Antonio Laudisio’s fresh, al dente fettuccine scarcely dressed with a simple tomato sauce and a blessing of high-end olive oil. I flashed back to the first time I tasted risotto at Laudisio Ristorante eons ago. I remember the taste, the texture, the aroma and my amazement that Italian cuisine included a creamy rice dish like risotto. 

There was a time when the North Boulder restaurant overseen by the Laudisio brothers was considered one of the best fine-dining Italian eateries in the state. In recent years, many locals know the Laudisio name for the woodburning pizza stand formerly at the Boulder Farmers Market and his paella catering events.