Old-school red sauce Italian places are becoming as rare as finding a parking spot downtown, but this place? This place is a gem. Sadly, it was almost empty for lunch on a Thursday (what gives, people?!). I had scoped out the menu while driving by one day and spotted something that immediately caught my East Coast heart: a veal parm sub. Or as we call it back home, a "grinder." Now, I haven't seen a veal parm sub on a menu in 15 years, so naturally, I bookmarked it for lunch the following week like it was a national holiday. We walked in around 12:45, and there was only one other table occupied--perfect for people who enjoy elbow room with their marinara. We were seated right away and ordered the Caesar salad and, of course, the veal parm sub to split. Our waitress/hostess (multi-talented!) brought over warm bread and butter, which I tried so hard to resist, knowing what was coming next. The Caesar salad? It had that perfect homemade dressing with a nice anchovy kick, and the lettuce was crisp enough to hold its own. For $9, it was a huge portion, and honestly, if you threw some chicken on there, it'd make a great lunch all on its own. BUT let me tell you about that veal parm sandwich--it took me right back to my childhood outside of Boston. The veal was crispy, slightly chewy, and the mozzarella? It was practically cascading out of the soft roll in glorious cheese waterfalls. I'm telling you, it'll be hard to order anything else after that sandwich. Although, the Italian beef and eggplant grinders are also calling my name. This place isn't fancy, and that's exactly what makes it so special. I bet their nightly pasta dishes are top-notch too. So do yourself a favor--grab a grinder, forget your fancy pretensions, and just enjoy the old-school goodness. read more