I took my wife to Victoria's recently, the venerable Italian restaurant in the heart of Appleton on College Avenue, famous for good food and especially for large portions. I tried to talk her into something more adventurous, but she really wanted to try Victoria's. Turned out to be better than I remembered. I've run unto some bland dishes there in the past, but we were genuinely delighted and impressed this time. My wife's scallops were just perfect. Scallops are easily rubberized by some cooks, but these were tender and full of flavor. I tried the haddock and was surprised at how perfect it was. The rich, colorful, seasoned veggies with the fish added a lot of flavor as well. Both were hits. We also tried the soup of the day, a version of minestrone that was extremely flavorful with a great texture.

Our waiter told us that there had been some changes on the menu with the closing of Emiliano's and the addition of the Emiliano's chef to the staff. Whatever the changes have been made, I was quite happy with the food. One disappointment, though, is that the bread the bring is pretty dull: a plain semi-soft roll and a greasy piece of garlic bread. There was also no dipping oil and balsamic vinegar for the roll, just butter.

Service was excellent. The waiter took extra time to answer questions and give us an update about the restaurant.