Mi Piaci opened in 2005 in the small space at Doniphan and Thorn where Il Posto used to be. While I used to enjoy the fact that Il Posto served good food yet was informal and encouraged take-out orders, Mi Piaci seems to be much more upscale, with prices to match (by the way, Il Posto has now moved to 7128 N. Mesa). Fortunately, Mi Piaci is just as accommodating about take-out orders, so I have been able to enjoy the food at times when I would not have gone to such a formal restaurant for a dine-in experience.

The food at Mi Piaci is similar to Il Posto (light and fresh--not the old style "red sauce" Italian), and like Il Posto each dish is individually and lovingly created by the chef (the restaurant is so small, with about 20 tables, I do not believe it will ever reach the point that chef Cosimo cannot individually prepare each order). The menu is small, but quality is maintained to a high standard.

While my reviews focus mainly on the food, the fact cannot be overlooked that Mi Piaci also gives patrons top notch service, comfortable décor, and music that makes diners want to stay as long as possible. Combined with fresh ingredients and what seems to be closer to authentic Italian food than will be found at other restaurants, this has all the elements of a fine dining experience.

I did not make note of the dinner I ordered on my first visit to Mi Piaci, but it was memorable for a strong garlic taste. I have found both huge hits and wild misses at other upscale Italian restaurants, so one meal that I did not like is not in itself a good indication of the overall food quality. Fortunately, though, I returned to try some things that made more of an impression on me.

The Lasagna was a lot better, but was still not what I was expecting from the Italian restaurant that is supposed to be the city's best. The pasta, sauce, and cheese were good, but I would prefer one with less meat and more sauce. To me it was also overdone with spices, but this did not make it bad, only something that was not quite to my taste. I was told this was one of the restaurant's most popular dishes, but there is a version at Vito's in Oklahoma City that I liked so much, the one here was not even comparable. I will say, though, that I ended up taking some of the lasagna from Mi Piaci home and reheating it the next day, and I thought it was excellent as a leftover. I am still unsure whether Mi Piaci's lasagna was disappointing or whether it was merely unable to live up to its hype.

The Linguini all'Ortolana, on the other hand, was a masterpiece of pasta, olive oil, vegetables, and everything that could have been quite ordinary in a lesser restaurant. The high prices at Mi Piaci make it disappointing when a dish does not live up to expectations, but in this case I was quite pleased with what I got.

Mi Piaci charges extra for salads, and most are quite expensive. Hoping to make a good meal even better, I decided to try the Insalata di Pere con Gorgonzola, a pear salad with gorgonzola cheese and a mixture of greens. I had experienced the best pear salad of my life at the Boulevard Stekhouse in Oklahoma, but this was a close second. I am not trying to promote a contest about who has the best salad, but rather to state that Mi Piaci ranks up there with some of the best restaurants. This salad looks simple, but I suspect great skill is needed to make it turn out as well as it does. My photo is of one that was for takeout, but to me it was just as delicious as one that would have been eaten in the restaurant.

As I have found with other upscale Italian restaurants, one reason I may be disappointed with some of the dishes is that I usually start out by ordering the less expensive plates, usually consisting of pasta dishes. I do not believe the pasta dishes at Mi Piaci are as good as others I have had around the country, but the prices on the menu would indicate that the meat dishes are the restaurant's specialty. I have two problems with ordering these dishes: I do not want large quantities of meat and most of the prices are out of my range except for special occasions. I do believe, though, that ordering some of these dishes would provide a significantly more memorable experience than I have had with some of the things I have tried. I base this both on the quality of the salad and the linguini and on the testimony of others who have eaten some of the meat dishes. An El Paso Times review indicated that the fish plates are some of the chef's best creations. I believe some of the meat dishes will fall into the same category.

I can probably not afford to do a very thorough taste test of the dishes here, but the best items have been good enough for me to at least recommend that others give Mi Piaci a try. Even when I did not care much for the flavor of some of the dishes, the freshness and variety of ingredients were satisfying. Bring your wallet or credit card, and enjoy.