We randomly ducked into this little place, ate alfresco on one of their sidewalk tables, for lunch: informal and very warm family style service. We ordered; spaghetti carbonara because when in Rome ... also extail stew (with celery and carrots redolent with a rich brown gravy/sauce), and aside of sauteed spinach. The pasta was al dente and sooooo freaking good, I deliberately left some of it to take back. But was pleasantly shocked when the manager/owner refused to pack it for me. He admonished me: "It's fresh now--you eat it now!" Umm, okay!?" To which of course, what else is there to do but to gobble it down pronto! The oxtail was good but the gravy a bit anemic and the portion surprisingly small. The spinach tasted oddly not like the greens you'd expect to get, instead tasting grainy--we took it to go and then dumped it. After lunch, instead of ordering dessert there, we were ballsy enough to ask for a gelateria recommendation (though they had gelato and sorbet on their menu). He was kind enough to direct us to the "brest" place in the area, which was just around the corner. The prices were reasonable. And for a moment, let me sing about their carbonara, which was a perfect ratio of a blend of cheeses, pancetta, black pepper, sauteed onion, and egg yolk; Zero cream, though it likely had butter. Whatever their combination, it was dynamite, to the point I could've gone back again and again, ordering the exact same dish. The creaminess, the tang and smoky bit of the bacon, the slight pucker of cheese, the earthy egg wafting through. Oh. My. God. That plate of pasta was my personal church to which I could pray. read more