Viva Italiano, Viva Syracuse (New York)

Why is the Olive Garden parking lot always packed? It's amazing when there are so many outstanding Italian restaurants in Syracuse. Of course, advertising has a lot to do with it. People feel a certain comfort knowing what to expect. Although the true comfort is in authentic Italian cooking. Family recipes. Tangy red sauce you can sop up with crunchy Italian bread. Perfectly baked eggplant parmesan. Crispy calamari. And the prices at many of Syracuse’s Italian restaurants, of which there are many, are comparable to or less than the Olive Garden. Let’s talk atmosphere too. Does Olive Garden have a certain ambience? An intimate, romantic setting or a mama’s kitchen feel? Are you pulled in by the smell of simmering tomatoes and fragrant garlic when you first enter? I truly judge restaurants on those warm aromas that tease your senses and create excitement before you even look at the menu. Anticipation, oh yeah. How about dinner at home instead? Stop at Columbus Bakery or Pasta’s for bread. Make moist flavorful meatballs with a mix from Liehs and Steigerwald or Ascioti’s. Buy Gianelli sausage or homemade sausage from many North Side stores. Buy cold cuts and cheese from Lombardi’s. Pizza, we won’t even go there. OK, I really like Shifty’s pizza, but it's inconsistent. "Who's got the best pizza?" causes as much debate as does what makes the best tomato sauce. We are talking about those days when you want someone else to do the cooking. It’s here and it's real in Syracuse. If you're not sure of where to go, ask around. Folks love talking about their favorite spots and when the topic is Italiano cuisine--look out. Be adventurous. Skip the endless baskets of bread sticks and bowls of soup. Treat yourself to an authentic Italian restaurant, ala Syracuse, where you'll really feel like family.