Luigi's Bent Noodle

The menu at Luigi’s Bent Noodle issues a challenge: “If this isn’t the best minestrone recipe you’ve ever tasted, we want your recipe.” We doubt anyone this side of Italy has anything to beat this minestrone; the bewitching brew has an appropriately rough-edged flavor and is available by the cup, the bowl and the really big bowl, and it’s far from the only delicious thing on Luigi’s menu. The decor is busy at the Aurora restaurant -- one of two Luigi’s locations in the metro area -- with knickknacks and Italian-themed posters, and so is the bustling dining room, where tables are bunched together and almost always full. The dining room is comfortable, the staff friendly and welcoming, and there’s nothing on the board of fare that should cause the least amount of alarm in even the pickiest of eaters. Bring the kids, bring the grandparents (even the ones from the Old Country), bring the wife for a nice, long lunch, and no one will be disappointed.