Continental Dining

Our Valentine's dinner date turned out to be much more romantic than expected. It was the restaurant. It had terrible service.

Just like most dinners during our honeymoon, we got great food at a snail's pace from people whose speech we couldn't quite understand. Ah, Europe.

Don Michele Caruso, the proprietor, was our server and entertainer. I say entertainer for two reasons.

One: He alternately bullied and charmed the customers. To the woman who asked his opinion on whether to get the ziti or the eggplant parm, he said:

"Lady, I don't know what you want!"

To the daughter and elderly mother behind us, he brought complimentary glasses of house wine with a Valentine's greeting.

Two: He was everywhere. By this I mean on the walls.

A sampling:

Don and a buddy wearing sombreros smoking cigars. Don and his family with the Vatican in the background. Don in a powder blue suite and bow tie with former Mass governor Cellucci. Don with a cowboy hat signed by George Dub. Bush was in the background of this photo. We knew the he had signed the hat because the caption Bush Signed the Hat! was screened across the image. We couldn't decide if the president had been photoshopped in or not. Don was the dominant element. Obviously, he's the man.

Did I mention his Zazza pizza is patented?

Needless to say, we will be back to Caruso's. There's another dining room to take in. I know there will be plenty of time until the food comes.