Have you been thinking about treating yourself to the great taste of an Italian meal, but hesitate because you do not want to cheat on your diet? If so, Cafe Via is the place for you.

This little slice of Italy is located on the intersection of Blackstone and Herndon. This location is ideal for your everyday River Park shopper.

The atmosphere is different from most restaurants in the Fresno area. When walking in the front door, it transforms into a Tuscan cafe. The service we received upon arrival was top notch; everyone was very inviting.

We came across this restaurant when it was referred to us by one of Jason’s coworkers. We felt that it would be the perfect place to write a food review for The Feather.

Our order was placed around 6 p.m. where we ordered the Chicken Alfredo for $15 and the Combo Via Calzone for $10. The food arrived reasonably fast, only taking about 11 minutes to be delivered to our table.

The Chicken Alfredo is crafted with whole grain Fettuccine pasta, cooked to perfection to the point of aldente. The pasta is then cloaked with homemade Alfredo sauce, featuring a smoky house made creole shrimp butter twist.

The dish comes with the options of hickory-braised chicken Brest, slow-cooked-Italian sausage, pan-seared shrimp or wood-grilled, fresh-water salmon.

The Calzone is a shell of house-made, wholewheat, Italian herbs and cheese crust. Inside this shell is specially cured pepperoni, Italian sausage, marinated bell peppers and onions.

Then, the dish is bound together with the perfect blend of mozzarella, parmesan and Romano cheeses. It is plated along side a bowl of hand-crafted marinara sauce, which is a combination of fire-roasted tomatoes, blended together with different Italian-derived spices.

The food is not the only great thing Cafe Via has to offer. The service was also overwhelmingly outstanding. The manager/owner was on a personal level with her customers.

Because she knew our intentions as food critics, she complemented us with a choice of their Artisan crafted desserts; we chose the fresh apple and pecan coffee cake. The cake is served on top a hot plate drizzled with caramel and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

We were not the only ones who were enjoying our food. We spoke with satisfied customers, Patricia and Randy about there meal.

They split the Seared Cracked Pepper Steak for their meal. Though they thought it was a bit overcooked, they really enjoyed the marinade. Overall, they enjoyed their experience at Cafe Via.

We would definetely recommend this restaurant as a top choice for anyone having trouble making dinner plans in Fresno. Whether you are looking for a quiet setting to take a date or you just want to enjoy some good food with some friends, consider Cafe Via.

This author is available on Twitter: @NhojNamood . Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather.

For more reviews, read the Nov. 30 article, ‘A Christmas Carol’ opens hope, holiday spirit.