Best Italian

Gavi Italian Restaurant

They say that you can keep a bird from getting away by sprinkling salt on its tail. Would salt work as well on zombies? The place to experiment would be Gavi, because one of the few complaints in recorded history about this local restaurant chain is that the food is kind of salty. Well, go to Italy, and check out any restaurant on the street: Sure enough, the food tastes kind of salty by current American standards. That's just further evidence that Gavi's fare is authentic. In more positive terms, the chefs make creative use of minimal ingredients and serve up generous portions from wide-ranging menus. Just like in Italy--which is also the origin, come to think of it, of some pretty entertaining zombie movies. Surely, this is no coincidence.

Runners up:

2. Caruso's, 434 N. Fourth Ave., 624-5765, www.carusositalian.com

3. Vivace, 4310 N. Campbell Ave., 795-7221

Sign of the impending apocalypse: Macaroni Grill, 12 votes; Olive Garden, 21 votes