Feast: A bella serra at Leggio's

Walking into Leggio’s Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria in Plains Twp. is like walking into an Italian relatives’ home — you are greeted, most likely by the owners Salvatore or Lori Leggio, like you are part of the family, and the delicious scent of food permeates the air.

In our case, Mr. Leggio greeted us with a hearty “Bella sera!” which, in Italian, translates to “beautiful evening.” And on this particular night, it was a beautiful, unseasonably warm Northeastern Pennsylvania autumn evening.

My companion Sal and I were led past secluded wooden booths to a cozy table in the back of the dining room. We noted many pictures of Italy mingled with festive fall decorations as we took our seats.

Our server, Jenna L., appeared almost immediately to take our drink order. After a quick discussion about the wine list, of which she was very knowledgeable, Sal and I settled on a half-carafe of Folonari Valpolicello ($12).

Turning our attention to the menu, it’s no surprise that there are more than a fair share of Italian specialties, from pizza with all your favorite toppings (ranging in prices from $3.50 for a personal pie to $19.50 for Thick & Tasty Sicilian with the works) to pasta in a variety of sauces, and various seafood, chicken, veal, eggplant and baked dishes, as well as basic American fare like sandwiches and hamburgers. It would take this entire article to highlight everything, but there were several entrees that caught our eye.

I, for one, was tossed up between the veal saltimbocca (tender veal with mushrooms, topped with prosciutto and mozzarella, $13.50), the seafood fra diavlo (mussels, shrimp and clams served spicy, $12.50) and the seafood misto dinner special I had seen on the board when we walked in ($18.95). Sal, always an eggplant buff, was all about the eggplant parmigiana (baked with tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella, $8.95).

Jenna brought our wine and took our orders — I went with the seafood misto special and, at the last minute, Sal changed his mind to chicken cacciatore ($11.50). Both dinners came with soup or salad; we both opted for the latter.

Sal poured us a glass of wine, described as having a spicy cherry flavor with hints of licorice on a dry, medium-bodied frame, and to me, the reddish-purple vino tasted just like a jug of your grandfather’s homemade wine, but less sweet. Salute!

Jenna returned with pizza bread — a yummy hoagie-like roll with garlicky marinara — and our salads a few minutes later. Sal’s Ceasar was just right, with a perfect blend of cheese in the dressing, while my zinfandel dressing was soft with a palatable vinaigrette zing.

We were halfway through our salads when Jenna dropped off special moist, yet crusty, garlic bread with a bowl of fresh clove, garlic, herbs and roasted peppercorns in olive oil. The oil, which Jenna informed is specially ordered by the restaurant, was exquisitely soft, with an almost fruity taste to my palate. We lapped it up in no time at all.

Gorged on more carbs than the Atkins diet would allow in a year, Sal and I didn’t have to wait long for the next course.

My eyes widened as Jenna snaked through the dining room with our entrees and placed a mountain of angel-hair pasta and seafood in front of me. The seafood misto in pomodoro (a light tomato sauce) had an abundance of mussels and clams (both in shells), lobster, salmon, little scallops and shrimp. It was artistically pleasing to look at and even better to eat — the salmon was lemony and flaky and the lobster, absolute perfection. This was the Mouth’s first foray into mussels, and I can’t say I like them better than clams. They were much chewier, yet meaty, and definitely less grainy with a taste of the ocean.

Sal’s chicken cacciatore had tender chicken with mushrooms, onion, peppers and a thick marinara, to which he asked for black olives to be added over an ample mound of the linguini he chose as his pasta. “This is just like I make at home,” he said. “Mmm.”

Our entrees were so big we obviously couldn’t finish them in one sitting, so we pushed them away in defeat (but that didn’t mean there was no room for an aperitif and dessert). I couldn’t resist a glass of Frangelico on ice — the hazelnut liqueur was the perfect ending to such a hearty dinner, especially when paired with the turtle cheesecake I also couldn’t resist, which was rich and caramely with a delectable chocolate bottom crust.

Sal had a cup of coffee and a canoli. Though this particular evening was hazy, hot and humid, the shell was perfectly crisp and the rich filling exactly like you would want it to be at a place like Leggio’s.

Throughout our dinner, we spied Mr. Leggio chatting with diners, making sure they were enjoying themselves or finishing their portions like their Mamas taught them, as he did with us.

Jenna was absolutely flawless — friendly and knowledgeable about the menu — and she made us feel like we were her only table.

Leggio’s is definitely your place when you want a home cooked Italian meal like you’d make yourself. You truly feel like you are among family and friends. And the bonus is you won’t have to cook or clean up yourself.

• Leggio’s Italian

Ristorante & Pizzeria

Route 315, Plains Twp.

570.822.0828