The Seven Wonders of A&M’s Rigatoni

Driving west on U.S. Route 422 into Palmyra, you might miss my favorite little Italian pizza shop, A&M. A&M has the best Rigatoni I have ever tasted (and believe me, I’ve tried many). There are seven particular wonders of this delectable entrée. 

First A&M’s rigatoni meal starts with a loaf of freshly baked bread, still warm. There is something about this bread that is so delicious. You can enjoy this soft, warm bread without any toppings like butter. It is divine in itself.

Then comes the freshly tossed salad with its crisp green lettuce, cold tomatoes, black and green olives, and crunchy red onions. This light salad is the perfect pre-curser to the meal to come. However, the salad does not stand alone; it must be paired with A&M’s French dressing. This dressing is the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Its creamy texture pairs excellently with the crisp salad.

Finally your rigatoni will be ready. The first thing you will immediately notice is the amount of pasta on your plate. This oval shaped plate is loaded down with pasta. The rigatoni is mounded upon itself, high enough to feed two.

Usually great things have solid foundations. This is the case with this rigatoni. The flawlessly cooked past is the foundation of this great dish. Pasta is a tricky thing to cook. It can easily be under or over cooked. For the numerous times I’ve had this meal at A&M, the noodles we nothing less than wonderful.

On this delightful pasta are linear indentations. You might ask, “Why is this fact considered a wonder?” Well, these ridges on the pasta expertly hold on the sauce (which is the 7^th wonder). So therefore, the indentations are the “foundation” of the sauce.

The sixth wonder is the seasoned beef. I would consider the beef the basis of the rigatoni sauce. If it wasn’t right, it would ruin the entirety of the sauce. The beef is ideal size to add the right texture to the overall dish. It isn’t in huge overbearing or minuscule pieces. Seasoned with salt, pepper, onion and some garlic, the beef adds a burst of flavor to the dish when it hits your tongue.

Finally, the seventh wonder (drum roll, please), the sauce. A&M’s seasoned red sauce seamlessly combines sweet and spicy. When you put the sauce in your mouth you can taste the brown sugar and the crushed red peppers simultaneously.

These seven elements create one of my favorite meals to eat here at Lebanon Valley College. It’s relatively inexpensive, coming in at only $9.91 with a large soda, and it is way more delicious than any “food” (if you can call it that) here at school. I encourage you to take a trip down U.S. Route 422 and visit A&M. You won’t regret it, and it is definitely worth your time and appetite.