Abudanza, Wilbraham

Chef Lou left Johnson & Wales University with a culinary degree, but another 20 years of education lay ahead of him. At the Federal Hill Club, the Sheraton Hotel at Bradley, and Frigo's, he honed his cooking chops and gained an appreciation for both European and Southwestern flavors. Then, in 2006, with his culinary tastes firmly established and his apron freshly embroidered with "Entrepreneur," he branched out on his own. The result is Abudanza.

Lou's passions come through in his menu selections. A great deal of weight is placed on Central Europe—Italian pastas sing with homemade marinara sauce or oversized meatballs while french-boned lamb chops nod to the traditions of the great Francophiles. But Lou also digs his heels into American soil, rolling out a selection of burgers and Angus steaks. There are even moments where the two continents blend together like an edible Pangea—the Snakebite Pasta, for instance, where jalapenos and cheddar combine into a parmesan alfredo sauce.