The owner wasted no time in explaining the first course options--entirely in Italian. Which is fine; it's his country after all. But he seemed very impatient with our confusion. We finally understood enough to know that he was recommending a ravioli and vegetable pasta selection topped with a marinara sauce. A very good choice.
The owner maintained his gruffness throughout the meal, but other things hinted at a softer side. Pictures drawn by grandchildren adorned the wall over the chair he sat in when not serving to observe the proceedings. His warm greeting to a young woman, clearly a frequent visitor, and his obvious affection for her pup, Nemo we learned, who sat down to receive the ear-scratch the pup had come to expect from the owner.
A British couple came in while we finished our meal and reacted like deer-in-the-headlights to the owners schtick. I took pity on them after a while and went over to explain what to expect. We got though ordering their pasta dish, which they seemed to enjoy, and the owner waived me over again when the time came to order the meat dish. The couple seemed really put off by the "differentness" of it all, so one has to wonder why they left home in the first place!
I found it all great fun!
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