Santino’s pasta had good flavor, but the texture just wasn’t there

I wasn’t expecting much entering Santino’s in Alton, and that’s exactly what I got: not much.

I’m not referring to the portion sizes, which were reasonable for an average Italian restaurant in the U.S. Instead, I was unimpressed with the overall quality of the food.

I ordered Santino’s Linguine. It didn’t look bad, as an average plate of linguine with a nice little garnish around it.

To start with the positives, I liked the flavor of the dish generally. The sausage and bell peppers I particularly enjoyed. The former was rich and well-seasoned and the latter had a nice, fresh taste to it.

However, the texture of the dish wasn’t great, bordering on unpleasant at times. For starters, the oil-based sauce was very watery. The red peppers, though flavorful, had a odd mushy texture, as if they had been kept suspended in liquid for just a little too long.

Overall, it was okay, but I doubt I’m going back.

Taste: 2.5

Appearance: 3.5

Price: 4