My own neighborhood Italian restaurant. Recommended by a friend, who was a friend indeed to tell us about this little gem of "honest to God" Italian cuisine run by real Italian Vincenzo Longo.
The dining area is dimly (romantically?) lit with a decor accented by grapevines hanging from a trellis overhead creating an outdoor like setting. There is a large Italian themed mural painted on one wall.
The real draw is the food. There are so many tantalizing choices on the menu, it will take many trips to try them all. Each dish is made fresh to order. Choices range from various pastas to grilled entrées. Try the Pollo alla Za Za (in white wine sauce with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and spinach). Yum! Visit their web site at www.vincenzos.us to see a sample of their menu.
If you are in the mood for pizza, I highly recommend it. They are baked in an authentic wood-burning pizza oven which was shipped from Modena, Italy. On a cold night, the oven lends its welcoming warmth to the bar area. The pizzas are ultra thin with interesting choices of toppings. My personal favorite - the Sorrento with prosciutto, mushrooms and Roma tomatoes. Also try the Rustica (fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, chicken, sundried tomatoes and basil) or the San Giovanese (no sauce, gorganzola, artichokes, mozzarella and tomatoes). For the purist, they have the Margherita (sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil). Pay the extra dollar or so for the fresh buffalo mozzarella. It's well worth it. Whole wheat crust is available upon request.
If by now you are still not believing how authentic this restaurant is, I'll share a secret with you. One evening I saw a grandmotherly Italian lady leaving the kitchen entrance. I suspected something and asked our waiter who she was. She is Vincenzo's mother and she had just dropped off a freshly baked ricotta cheesecake she had made. That is reason enough to save room for dessert or at least to take a slice home. It is simple homemade Italian goodness at its best.
Vincenzo's is closed on Sundays. Reservations highly recommended on Fridays and Saturdays and any day during the Christmas/New Year's holiday period.