Time for dining q & a
By MARY ANNE LEWIS
Scene Writer
Q: What do you get when you mix a bit of little Italy with a diner?
A: Cosimo and Susie's.
This little restaurant, probably no bigger than about five dorm rooms, holds great atmosphere for anyone who is looking for a low-key place that offers a good meal and good conversation.
Just a five to 10 minute ride from campus, Cosimo and Susie's — A Bit of Italy, is located on Grape and McKinley, on the northeast side of Town & Country shopping center.
Walk in, and see a Fightin' Irish flag on the right wall, just above the framed portrait of the Four Horsemen. Aside from the food, perhaps the best thing about Cosimo and Susie's is the decor. On the back left wall, there is a gorgeous painted gazebo. Hanging from the ceiling are unlit tiki lamps. Next to the kitchen, in the middle of the restaurant, are wine bottles poised on the Banfi wine rack. They even have a Coke machine, a Budweiser neon sign and a non-smoking sign that says, "Lungs at Work — No Smoking."
And don't forget the posters and family portraits. From "The Godfather" to "Fantasia" to "Casablanca" to "The Big Night," everything somehow fits together. Who would have thought that the Budweiser sign would fit right in with the Four Horsemen? The final touch is the centerpiece. On every table is a wine bottle with three false red roses inside. Of course, with the dim lighting, the restaurant can get away with a few shortcuts.
Now the food: Delicious. This place has a slogan — "Cooking Like Mamma Used to Make." Indeed, Mamma Susie is now in a tie with this reviewer's mother.
So, a middle-aged Italian woman came over with a bowl of sausage-vegetable soup, and, of course, garlic bread. Spaghetti and meatballs then appeared on the table, while outside the rain was falling and wind blowing. Warm food, dim lighting, a motherly waitress and a familial ambiance provided for a nice dinner.
The waiters and waitresses knew many of the customers. They talked casually with them, sitting down at their tables. "Did you eat your soup yet? Nope? No — I'm just kiddin'. Just bein' a mother!"
On the right side of the restaurant, some parents tried to subdue their children and teach them the correct way of eating pasta. The children, meanwhile, were much more interested in the Notre Dame paraphernalia and the wind outside. Eventually, they saw the food and quickly quieted down.
Back to the food. Whether the order is dinner or a half-order, it is good and there is a lot of it. This is ideal for college students. Spicy meatballs, spaghetti, fettucini, mostaccioli or whatever you may choose will be cooked well, and quickly. The meatballs are spicy and just right. The drinks are large. The price is small. In fact, you're more likely to spend more on the cab than you are on the meal.
So for "A Bit of Italy," great posters, quaint Italian atmosphere and some very friendly waitresses, come to Cosimo and Susie's. Until then, "Mangia Bene!"
All Scene Stories for Thursday, November 4, 1999
