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| - From the moment you walk through the doors of Mario Fazio's, there is an overarching feeling of family. We were greeted as soon our feet crossed the threshold and immediately whisked over to our table. You can instinctively feel the family atmosphere, which is intensified by the waitress referring to the entire table as "family."
This family-style restaurant is one of a dying breed. Dinner is slow, like it should be. The staff gives you the time to kibbutz with your loved ones as you sip on their delicious house white, a sweet Italian pinot grigio. There is italian bread and chatting before the waitress even takes the appetizer order.
The calamari appetizer was cooked perfectly and the portion size was just right for the whole table to share. As we began eating our appetizers and salads, it became apparent that this is the place where people come to feel at home. It was clear that the majority of the people in the restaurant had been long time regulars. The staff asked about their families and how work was going, something you simply cannot get at many restaurants anymore.
The main courses came -- and like all proper Italians -- we occasionally took bites as we talked. The salmon atop lentils was cooked very well, but it was the Beef Braciole that really stole the show. Just as we all sat back and decided that there was no more room to stuff, dessert was served. A traditional strawberry cassata cake accompanied with espresso and coffee was just the right way to end the meal.
Our meal lasted for hours, but felt like just moments and the staff was gracious and patient. If you're looking for a relaxed evening that moves on it's own like you're sitting at your own mother's dinner table, Mario Fazio's is just that; and although the food here won't be found on the Upper East Side of New York City, it is the kind of food that you can imagine being made for you by someones Italian mother: filling, delicious and full of love.
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