Well, if there's one place in Martinsburg I've been dying to go to - it's La Trattoria. It's the first place mentioned when the city is brought up, it has previously made the list of 101 unique places to dine in the state, and I've heard nothing but amazing things.

But, my only dilemma? They didn't open until 4, which was the time I was supposed to be leaving Martinsburg. I called right at 4 p.m. and asked if I could place a to-go order. The gentleman kindly took my order and said it could be ready in 15 minutes. I could swing that.

When I walked in, he was literally packaging up my meal as we spoke and waiting for the freshly baked bread to come out of the oven. I peeked into the dining area to get a feel for the restaurant. It's pretty much exactly what you expect from an Italian-American restaurant in a small town. Some art depicting Italian scenes, synthetic flowers on the table and a wall full of awards declaring it the best restaurant in the region.

The gentleman who worked with me was just phenomenal. He gently packed up each component to my meal, taking the most care to assure it would be to my satisfaction. He even packed up a few little packets of butter to go with the freshly baked bread. And, while the food was done when I arrived, we continued to chat for another 10 minutes or so. I learned about his family and how his daughter goes to WVU. Just great people.

La Trattoria was founded more than 20 years ago, and the Romo family bought the restaurant in 2007. Since then, it has consistently been one of the highest rated restaurants in the area. And once I was finally able to dig into my meal, it did not disappoint. First was this spinach egg-drop soup in a chicken broth. It was certainly different, but savory and warm, which is perfect for the rainy day.

Next, these incredible rolls. I think he gave me half a loaf, and thank god, because I devoured every last one of them. Soft, chewy, buttery deliciousness.

I had ordered the Tortellini Pink, which is cheese tortellini with a pink creamy sauce. So tasty! It makes me wish I had time to try all their other offerings, because the menu is long with tons of enticing entrees. The tortellini was creamy, rich, indulgent ... it eschews traditional red sauce in favor of this thick, comforting cream-based sauce. Delicious? Check. Amazing service? Check check. Will I be back? Check check check.

Grade: A