My Favorite Meal: Peasant Food at Spadaro Ristorante

Situated in a small strip mall on Main Street in New Rochelle, NY, in between State Farm and UPS is an intimate Italian restaurant, Spadaro Ristorante. Originally restaurateurs from Rome, Italy, husband and wife team, Rina and Antonio Spadaro opened their restaurant in New Rochelle in February 2008. The small intimate restaurant features limited seating (38 seats), italian decor, a good selection of Italian wines and a delicious menu of what Rina and Antonio refer to as "peasant food" . Everything is simply prepared with only the freshest of ingredients. Antonio and Rina are very hands on owners; Antonio as the chef and Rina as the host.

We were introduced to the restaurant by good friend two years ago. The Spadaros and their staff are very welcoming and greet everyone as close family. As we are seated, service is quick and very pleasant. To whet our appetite, we are immediately served with a lightly grilled Italian bread topped with olive oil with a whole clove of garlic for spreading.

Patrons wishing to make the most of their Spadaro experience can opt for what seems to be an endless array of antipasto dishes from marinated olives and artichokes, cured and dry meats, a selection of imported Italian cheeses, freshly prepared dandelion, asparagus and brocolli rabe and my favorites, steamed mussels, grilled Octopus, Pasta E Fagiole and Mozzarella di Bufalo which is imported from Italy. Be on guard not to fill up with antipasto and leave room for the wonderfully prepared fresh pasta and main entree dishes.

My favorite main entree is their Eggplant Parmigiana over a bed of creamy polenta. This can also be served as an antipasto but beware, it is a large serving. Not to be missed is their grilled swordfish and branzino. For meat lovers, some favorites to try on your visit are grilled lamb chops, veal chops and of course, steak.

One cannot forget Spadaro's pasta dishes. My kids favorite is Fettucini al Spadaro, which is a hearty serving of freshly made fetuccini mixed with mushrooms and cheese. Another favorite is the Papardele e Bolognese and Fusilli with cherry tomatoes with basil and olive oil.

Spadaro's wine list is comprised of many wonderful Italian wines at various price points. Over the course of our dining experience at Spadaro's, we've tried several different bottles of Italian wines and they all complimented our meals wonderfully, such as Castiglion del Bosco from the Brunello di Montalcino region of Italy and Enfer Vallee D'Aoste 2008.

If there is still room, not to be missed is Spadaro's homemade Italian Ricotta Cheesecake which is surprisingly light and moist. I can only describe it as the BEST cheesecake I've ever had. This is a must have at Spadaro's. They also offer profiteroles, tiramisu, espresso and cappuccino.

The experience of dining at Spadaro's is like having a family meal at my grandparents home. The quality of the food is equally matched by the warm, friendly and family like atmosphere that is not to be missed.