Hidden on a side street in the South end of Springfield, not far from buildings torn apart by the tornado earlier this year, Frigo’s is a slice of Italy right in our own back yard.

(www.frigofoods.com, 90 Williams St., Springfield, also at 159 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow)

Frigo’s is not a tiny place, but it is so jam-packed with different kinds of Italian food it feels cozy. There are refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts, shelves filled with olives and more kinds of pasta than I knew existed.

There’s some kind of traditional Italian music playing and smell is all olive oil and garlic. Above the largest refrigerator case, there’s a chalk board covered with descriptions of more Italian sandwiches (and some downright American) than I could keep track of.

I stopped into Frigo’s almost by accident when I had to stay in Springfield into the evening for an open house at the school where I work. Frigo’s is the perfect place to find something quick to go. There are no tables so all food is take out. I also thought it would be a great place to pick up some already-prepared food to bring home to Amherst for dinner.

I ordered the easiest meal possible: a chicken parmesan sandwich on a water roll and a baby arugula salad. (It cost $4.75 for the sandwich. An 8-inch grinder would have been $5.50 and what the menu describes as a “1/2 Vienna” is $6.25. I’m assuming that means a sandwich on a half a loaf of bread!)

The arugula salad was $4.99 and didn’t have salad dressing on it. I must have missed the choice of salad dressings on the way out.
The sandwich was great. Simple chicken parm but real chicken underneath the breading, an excellent tomato sauce and not too much cheese.

I wish I had tried one of the many other sandwich combinations which range from “Joe’s Favorite” which is fresh-cooked veal with roasted peppers ($5.25-$6.75) or the Dante (King) which is turkey breast, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, asiago cheese and choice of dressing (8-inch grinder $6.95).

I have a feeling I’ll be picking up dinner for me and the kids at Frigo’s soon.