| rev:text
| - A trip back into time! (Think "Good Fellas," the 40s, your parents on a first date) There's nothing from the outside of this joint to even cry out "restaurant" (upon leaving, I did see an unlit sign out front)...you almost feel like you are entering someone's house. But it is indeed a bar/restaurant, and it is obviously a very local haunt. And yes, clearly Italian: dark, with lots of red and dramatic Sinatra playing. A bar with red soda counter stools. A smoky kitsch atmostphere without any attempt at kitsch or smoke. And the food? Overwhelmingly meat and pasta and seafood and not subtle at all. The red sauce was very rich with meat and oil---I could not finish the enormous portion of rigatoni with meat sauce. My aunt had the seafood platter which she deemed adequate and large (mostly fried things). Most people seem to leave with big doggie bags. There is simply nothing for the vegetarian or even the slightly healthy eater! Even the bread is odd, a bit like Italian wonder bread with tabs of butter. But I left full and would return, now understanding what I am getting into. In other words, the place is full of mood and character---the food is almost secondary. I would try the lasagne next and judge from there. I can also picture and taste this dish now...good but DAMN HEAVY.
Silvestro's seems to be a place where you can fill your stomach pleasantly and also learn about who lives in the Painesville/Lake County area (one hour east of Cleveland). It's in a (formerly) industrial part of the world, and the food seems fit for the hearty manual laborer after a long day. You can mull about the world we live in now, the world of strip centers and "fine dining" that are actually large corporate chains. Silvestro's reminds me of Spirito's in Elizabeth, New Jersey---and there are fewer and fewer of these places left. I'm sure that they existed in most working class communities, where profits come from servicing a loyal, select audience rather than advertising and killing people with glitz. I found it quite refreshing.
Our meal cost $40 including tip. My aunt had a glass of house wine. Dinner comes with an average house salad and the aforementioned bread. There is a working class, casual atmosphere. Service was prompt, friendly but things seemed a little rushed. I think that they assume that most regulars know what they are ordering and then just hang around forever, talking. We ate and left quickly, being from a totally different planet! I'll hang out longer to dig the ambiance next time.
Note: Silvestro's does not take credit cards. There is an ATM machine near the bar.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)