Ciao! makes Italian exceptional, lunch or dinner

Ciao! has long been one of my go-to Italian restaurants on the Grand Strand for dinner, but I have only recently begun to include it as a lunch place. Why did I wait so long?

Lunch is a great way to introduce yourself to a restaurant — smaller portions, lower cost. I lunched there with a group of eight friends, many of whom had not been to this cozy trattoria before. There was no problem with separate checks — in fact, no problem with anything!

The server was more than happy to answer all questions and assure us that food ordered was prepared to meet every request. I ordered the Caprese salad and asked to have it served with vinegar and oil on the side for me to add. My husband ordered the prosciutto sandwich, which came on a crusty bread roll with roasted peppers, mozzarella and a vinaigrette — so delicious that I was tempted to steal it from him.

Several in the group chose salads (one ordered the antipasto salad and took half of it home), one tried the penne a la vodka and loved it, and another tried the chicken Marsala. We received our meals together and despite the crowd, felt comfortable and never lacked for attention. The atmosphere is crowded congeniality with just enough space to ensure privacy.

Every one of them said they would like to return for lunch and for dinner as well.

The restaurant sparkles at lunch and dazzles at dinner, with care given to each dish. The restaurant’s skill lies in making what seem like ordinary dishes into exception meals. On my last dinnertime visit, I sampled the eggplant Parmesan. Every Italian family makes this dish in a slightly different fashion, and the Ciao! version of the casserole has paper-thin slices of eggplant, fried with just a dusting of flour, layered with sauce, cheese and a bit of meat, topped with cheese and baked to perfection.

Both the meal and the service received high marks. My favorite item on the dinner menu has always been the broccoli rabe and sausage, but it is now an occasional special because there is no longer a reliable supply for everyday serving.

But no matter what is on the menu, you can be sure it will be cooked to perfection and served with cheer. Phone ahead for reservations — tourist season is in high gear and this small, lovely trattoria will be busier than ever, and rightly so.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 2:00 AM with the headline "Ciao! makes Italian exceptional, lunch or dinner."