Frank Papa's Ristorante

Frank Papa's Ristorante Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: The restaurant’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it suburban façade gives no hint of the white-tablecloth service within, where the pale walls and simple décor remind us of similar spots in Northern Italy. There is a private wine cellar room downstairs. To ensure your share of the trademark mussels diavolo in tomato sauce generously pumped up with garlic and red pepper, be sure to make a reservation.

Food & Drinks: Before kale chips were all the rage, Frank Papa’s was flash-frying escarole to a shattering crispness. It’s been ahead of other trends too: its primi course is full of Italian-style small plates like crostini, carpaccio of peppered tenderloin, and sautéed shrimp in white wine and garlic. Pastas come in more than a dozen varieties, sauced appropriately to match the shape, including whole-wheat options like penne with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, topped with fresh mozzarella and basil. Veal alla Diana, named for Frank's wife, sports mushrooms, a little basil and tomato in a classic brown sauce. Check out the chocolate ravioli for dessert. The wine list includes some unfamiliar, but fine and moderately priced, labels.