Stefano's Grill, Sand Lake Rd Area - Closed

I had dinner at this Italian restaurant at the far end of the strip mall at Sand Lake Rd and Dr Phillips Blvd on Saturday. I would have loved to deliver a complimentary report because they were so nice, but, I found my dish a little disappointing. I ordered the simple to prepare rigatoni bolognese for $17 (cheapest main dish on the menu). To put that in perspective I just made the same for myself today and I bought a box of pasta for 85 cents (bogo) and only needed around $2 of beef. It was almost as good and I used no cream and salsa from my weekend burrito as the sauce (which is ridiculous I know). I forget what meat they listed on the menu, but, it turned out to be de-cased sausage. Even a large serving of that couldn't make up for the fact that it was in the recipe. The sauce was also bland. Barely any evidence of that listed cream. The rigatoni was cooked properly. I also had a glass of limp Cab for $12. Like I said, the staff was pleasant. The place looks like a dark room. It's all black. It seats about fifty. I was there kind of late and it was raining, so, it was almost empty. I hope those were the reasons. They said the grilled meats were good. I don't go to an Italian restaurant for that. I know Italians think they can compete in this arena. They can't. I think it's something about the olive oil and rosemary that Americans don't associate with quadropeds. The prices are also predictably high. You know I demand a more contemporary or authentic "Italian" Italian experience. This isn't that. It's another on a long list of fugazi American imitations. I probably should have just initially said they put their name on the wine glasses and that would have illustrated all I have been trying to say. They have been in this location for two years.