Like most kids growing up in the suburbs, I came to appreciate Italian food by way of Chef Boyardee. Those initial doses of canned ravioli helped me develop a deep and enduring love of the Old Spaghetti Factory out in Taylorsville, which was often the site of our little league football post-season dinners. I was lucky enough to have two older brothers go LDS missions to Italy, and they brought back a few old country recipes that introduced me to the wonders of a good Bolognese sauce.

My recent visit to Mastra Italian Bakery Bistro woke up a lot of these memories. It's been a while since I've tried an Italian restaurant that continues to enhance my understanding of this beloved cuisine like this new American Fork restaurant.