Mario's

Mario's Restaurant Review:

Mario's is testament not only to the enduring favor of Italian-American food but to the notion that a family-run restaurant is likely to express the best virtues of the American restaurant business. Located since 1919 in the Belmont section of Fordham, Mario's has been run by five generations of the Migliucci family. The looks have changed little over the years: it's happily festooned with family photos, varnished paintings of Mount Vesuvius, Italian statuary, pink banquettes, and plenty of photos of famous customers. The pizzas here are legendary---Neapolitan pies of impressive crust, beautifully seared on the bottom, bubbly and charred, with a topping of nothing more than fresh tomato and mozzarella, olive oil and basil. Sauces are all made to order. Start with the bursting stuffed peppers then move on to the cheesy fettuccine Alfredo and the tender calamari. If the langoustines are on the special board, order them simply grilled since seafood isn't the strong point here. Lamb chops or a veal dish, such as the veal rollatine cooked in a bold Marsala and mushroom sauce, are definitely the way to go. Desserts are afterthoughts, but the cheesecake is of good quality.