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| - This place was fantastic.
I met a friend there for lunch on a Sunday afternoon, and was looking forward to trying this place out, because I know how great Tomaso's is. This is an offshoot of the Tomaso's group, and their first foray into the more casual atmosphere, focusing on their famous Meatballs, with an emphasis on the Charcuterie. Everyone who really knows me, knows that I'm a huge fan of a Charcuterie board, and that I always try to influence our group to spring for one if it's an option. We were sat by the delightful Olivia, at a table near the back - just like I prefer. A good start.
What I enjoyed about SB was the feeling of the extension of the kitchen, all the way out to the front curb. It gave a feeling of an Italian-American family experience, complete with Grandma's marinara sauce simmering on the stovetop all day long, and even reminiscent of that scene from Scorsese's "Goodfellas" when Ray Liota is ducking the Police Helicopters long enough to still stir the sauce with a big wooden spoon.
I was fortunate enough to have Kendra as my server, and she was both thorough in explaining the menu, as well as insightful in providing some detail in what goes on behind the scenes. We discussed how crazy it is to have the Octopus, and indulged me by intentionally taking a route by my seat to let me see the entree as she delivered it to another table. The menu had staples like the fantastic meatballs, but was adventurous enough to include things like the octopus as well, and didn't seem cluttered or confusing. Gino, the manager, made it a point to come over and rap with me, and had the table belly-laughing and entertained. Next time I head in, I'm going to bring about three other friends, and we're going to try the Pane Cunzatu - a sicilian-style bruschetta board that looks like an experience on it's own.
I made a mental note that this would be a great spot to meet clients for a business lunch, and intend to in the near future.
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