We decided to visit the Kings Highway establishment for lunch. It was warm and a busy day on the street because of the annual sidewalk sale.
Duo was bustling and we enjoyed the happy lunch crowd. There's an open kitchen, and we were glad to be seated nearby so we could watch the goings-on.
The menu is extensive, offering "contemporary Italian cuisine," the Web site says. There are many updated variations on old themes, such as a crab-broccoli bruschetta ($10.50) and rigatoni Bolognese ($10), whose meat sauce is simmered with olives and mushrooms.
I started with the house salad that came with my entree. It was a large plate of mixed greens served with vinaigrette on the side. (All salad dressings are served on the side here.)
My lunch companion enjoyed a cup of the creamy tomato soup ($3), an excellent selection on the warm day, despite our server's quizzical look. The soup was a very good, smooth blend, but a little bit sweet to my taste.
My entree was Tuscan Alfredo ($11), a wonderfully light blend of diced chicken, peas, corn, sun-dried tomato and prosciutto in a Romano cream sauce served over penne. It was excellent. I added a little grated cheese to top it off. I don't usually like sun-dried tomatoes because they can be tart, but these were almost sweet and combined well with the peas and corn and chicken. The cream sauce was thick enough to complement the meat and vegetables and thin enough to get inside the penne.
The chicken pear salad ($8) was my friend's entree. It was a beautifully presented large plate of romaine with poached pear, marinated grilled chicken, slices of almond, and raisins. It was served with a honey-lime vinaigrette. I liked how the flavors and textures combined, but she thought it needed something else. She seemed to enjoy it more after adding some grated cheese.
