The saloon-style bar inside the Old Wild West restaurant in Fiume Veneto, Pordenone, Italy, on May 14th, 2024. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)

For as long as I can remember, I have loved portrayals of the Old West. My favorites are the ones where the actors convincingly channel its spirit and the saloon embodies classic towns of the era.

In a mall in the Italian city of Fiume Veneto, I happened on a restaurant actually named Old Wild West and decided I just had to check it out. My initial thought was, ‘How interesting. I wonder if it is any good.”

Old Wild West is a chain with locations throughout Italy and France, and even one in Monaco. The Fiume Veneto restaurant is approximately 30 minutes from Aviano Air Base.

After seeing a post on the Aviano Rant and Rave Facebook page saying the restaurant is Italy’s equivalent for the U.S. of the stereotype Americans have of Olive Garden fare being Italian food, I took the plunge and dined there with my family.

We pulled on a door handle made to look like a six-shooter and stepped inside. Straight ahead through the entrance was a long wooden bar reminiscent of the one in saloons of yore.

Although no one was playing cards or drinking whiskey at the bar, lively conversation filled the restaurant.

After some contemplation, I decided to start with the Mexican nachos under the Tex-Mex options. As I bit into the first golden tortilla chip, I was pleasantly surprised by its fresh crunch.

Mexican nachos served next to the Dakota burger with fries at Old Wild West in Fiume Veneto, Pordenone, Italy, on May 14th, 2024. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)

To solidify my opinion of the place, I made sure to select something other than what my wife and children ordered.

My wife went with a simple option, the Dakota burger, which is essentially a bacon cheeseburger. It reminded her of a backyard burger, and the 1/3 pound of all-Italian beef was both flavorful and juicy.

My daughter was not happy with the kids menu choices, so she ended up ordering a chicken wrap. My son went with the hot dog and fries off the kids menu.

When asked her opinion on the wrap, she responded simply “it’s really good.”

She couldn’t find the right words to elaborate, but the portion was enough for her to leave full. I do not think it was big enough to fill a hungry adult, though.

The pulled chicken sandwich served with fried potato slices from Old Wild West in Fiume Veneto, Pordenone, Italy on May 14th, 2024. In the upper corner are the fried green olives, known as "green balls" on the menu. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)

I ordered the pulled barbecue chicken, as I have always liked the dripping mess it creates that needs a roll of paper towels to mop up.

But this menu item appeared to be mislabeled because the chicken on the bun was chopped into chunks, not shredded.

Instead of feeling disappointed in having been misled, I went ahead and gave the sandwich a shot. The tender, barbecue-soaked chicken had a savory balance of sweetness and spice, which was complemented very well by the slight crunch of the toasted bun.

I decided against ordering an espresso to end my meal, although I did give in to the urge for one of the mini desserts. We are in Italy, so what could go wrong with gelato?

The Coppetta Caramello mini dessert from Old Wild West in Fiume Veneto, Pordenone, Italy, on May 14th, 2024. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)

The coppetta caramello was indeed small, but the caramel-drizzled whipped cream on top of the small scoop of vanilla gelato was enough to satisfy my craving.

After finishing dessert, I walked around the place a little bit, and with its abundance of wooden trappings and cowboy-and-Indian decor, it really did give off an Old West vibe.

Overall, my experience was pleasant and I would recommend the place. I’ll be going back sometime to give their steak dishes a try.

The Old Wild West restaurant in Fiume Veneto, Pordenone, Italy, on May 14th, 2024. (Brian Erickson/Stars and Stripes)

Old Wild West

Address: Via Maestri del Lavoro 42, Fiume Veneto, Italy

Hours: Sunday through Friday, 12-3 p.m. and 6:30-10 p.m..; Saturday, 12-3 p.m. and 6:30-10:30 p.m.

Prices: Appetizers from 4 to 11 euros. Main dishes range from 6 to 22 euros. Desserts from 3.50 to 6 euros. Nonalcoholic beverages range from 2 to 4.50 euros; alcoholic beverages, 5 to 25 euros.

Information: Phone: +39 0434 957802; Online: www.oldwildwest.it/ristoranti/fiume-veneto