My trips to Il Posto began when it was located at Doniphan and Thorn in the building now occupied by Mi Piaci. The restaurant was the brainchild of the brother and sister owners and chefs who began producing what I thought were almost inspired dishes in a city where the Italian food was generally good but pretty much the same anywhere you went. The informal atmosphere of the old place made it feel like a neighborhood hangout where customers could relax and enjoy a meal. I was frequently able to talk to the owners to find out what they recommended, and if there were any special dishes that could be prepared. Il Posto offered daily vegetarian specials in addition to the usual meat versions which are still regularly posted on a display board at the new restaurant. As a result of my early experience I have probably experimented more with different dishes here than at any other Italian restaurant in the city, and in the process have found some pretty good food.

I have come to appreciate the lighter cooking style of some restaurants that use healthy oils, fresh vegetables, high quality cheese, and chunks of tomatoes that are not completely puréed into a sauce. Il Posto still falls into the "red sauce" category, but the cooking here brings out the food's natural flavor rather than overwhelming it with garlic, spices, and oils. Il Posto has been one of El Paso's better Italian restaurants, with a style of sauce that is traditional but somewhat toward the lighter style.

Il Posto offers a pretty good selection of vegetarian dishes, but the situation was much better at the old restaurant on Doniphan where daily vegetarian specials were available. The vegetarian menu items at Il Posto include some good items, but it seems that with a few exceptions the best dishes have been the specials that are less frequently offered now than before.

The Eggplant Parmagiana is an example of the dishes that are certainly worthwhile if your limitation is that you need to eat a vegetarian dish, but which would not be my favorite if I were also choosing among meat dishes. My experience has been of eggplant that was round, green, and not mushy, fried, or oily. It almost resembled a zucchini (anything that does not taste like an eggplant is a good thing to me). The very light marinara sauce on top was better than average quality. I found the bed of penne pasta to be quite ordinary, though, especially compared to Monteleone's pasta which was exceptional in flavor and texture. While Il Posto's eggplant parmagiana is better than most, the tipping point to me is probably the price, skewing it a little bit more toward something I would skip than something I would order. Bella Napoli down the street has what I would probably consider a better version at a better price.

The Three Cheese Tortellini was one of the best vegetarian dishes I tried, and was about as good here as any place I have had it.

The Gnocchi and Farfalle Primavera, although vegetarian, are not my favorite dishes. I ordered these in the early days when I was experimenting with different dishes and I do not remember enough about them to write a description. I particularly remember the gnocchi, though, as something I would not order again.

The Spinach Ravioli is highly recommended, but I've only been able to order it as a special dish. I have just about given up on the new location offering it along with other vegetarian daily specials, but if I ever see it as a special it is definitely something I would like to try again.

If you choose from the meat dishes, however, I think you will find the best choice for interesting items. The Chicken Parmagiana serves too large a portion for my taste, but it has been quite good when I have been able to sample it or split it. In fact, I cannot think of anything at Il Posto that has been better in terms of flavor.

Lasagna has been one of my favorite dishes here.

The Cheese Manicotti had the same marinara sauce as the lasagna and parmagiana dishes, and made a good vegetarian substitute for these meat dishes.

The House Salad was mostly iceberg lettuce with some dark green leaves mixed in. The house made Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing impressed me at first, but it did not compare to the superb dressing I tried later at Monteleone's. I do like the fact that Il Posto's salad comes with the dinner plates at no extra charge (you also get a choice of soup).

The Minestrone Soup seemed very high quality to me and I thought was a better choice than the salad. Although the fresh vegetables were outstanding, the soup is not free of meat products, undoubtedly contributing to its excellent flavor. Once again, though, this is an example of why Il Posto would be frustrating to vegetarians, knowing that there would be such a limited choice of the very best dishes.

With the new restaurant on Mesa Street being larger and more upscale than the old location, I do not see the chefs very much and I miss the relaxed atmosphere of the old restaurant (going to Mi Piaci at Il Posto's old location really gives no indication of how casual Il Posto used to be). Surprisingly, the prices have not increased a great amount since the restaurant moved into its new digs. The prices have increased enough that I rarely try new dishes, but the ones that are my favorites are definitely worth the money.

The wine selection looks pretty good, but I am not really an expert on such things. One thing is for sure--I always feel that I have had light and healthy Italian food when I have eaten here.