Carmen’s Cafe in Brookside is a longtime neighborhood favorite. Italian specialties abound, including spiedini, veal and my favorite, Fettucine Al Diablo, an enormous pasta dish chock-full of seafood in a spicy tomato sauce. Linguine Aliolio is another must-try, combining olive oil and garlic with fresh herbs and just a touch of tomato.Carmen’s also has surprisingly good paella, odd for an Italian restaurant since it’s a Spanish dish. It’s a holdover from the days when Carmen’s had a second venue on Southwest Boulevard that served primarily Spanish cuisine.

Be sure to ask for the special dipping oil made tableside–olive oil, basil, black pepper, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. Combined with soft bread, it’s hard not to make a meal of it.

Carmen’s Cafe
6307 Brookside Plaza
www.carmenscafekc.com