I'm finding the idea of Italian chain restaurants oddly intriguing since (a) I cook Italian at home fairly often and (b) we have not-chain Italian restaurants in abundance here.

When I was growing up in the wilds of suburbia we didn't have Italian chain restaurants either. Just local, family pizza joints and I guess Sbarro at the mall.

It's kind of exotic to me, like a restaurant that specializes in Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

See, I was going to go there, but flea did first. I love the name, pronounced either the Greek way or the American way, and am happy it's spelled with a K.

We are pronouncing it the American way - my Uncle the professor of Classics was first to deliver a lecture on it's pronunciation (a loving lecture, not a boring, covered-in-chalk-dust lecture). Spelling it with a C was never on the table.

Our dog has no idea what to make of the little invader, or of my incision.

~ma to those that need it, as I have skipped to the end.

like a restaurant that specializes in Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

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like a restaurant that specializes in Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

[link]

See? That's exotic by being mundane.

Poor Sass! There's a new puppy in the family now.

It always fills me with glee when I find a good non-chain restaurant in a shopping center.

One of the funniest things in Jax-- we have a family where three of the relatives each have their own restaurant. They're all in strip malls and within five miles of each other (two of them are actually in adjoining strip malls). Vito's, Enza's, & Rosalia's. We speculate that they probably had some spat over how to prepare the alla rosa, each of them said, "You're crazy, you're making it wrong!" and decided to start their own places.

We also have a really good place up the street, next door to Publix.

Hi Sparky! Hope you guys are all doing well. I'm sure Sass will adapt and become Kalliope's biggest protector.

David Chase said when he was growing up there was Italian food at his mother's and his cousin's house, period. So actually he has no problem with chains, but he had Paulie Walnuts bitch about them.

Hi Mama! How are you feeling?

Buca di Beppo is my idea of hell. I've eaten there once. Never ever again.

Have never been there, and after the discussion here I likely won't.

I thought about that, and then I decided, hey, free wifi.

The funniest name I have seen out there was a wireless link named Not Your Internet. It was secured, but I totally would have used it if it weren't.

My favorite Italian restaurant is a little place in Little Italy in Baltimore

There is a Little Italy at mile marker 69 in the Keys. Unbelievably wonderful seafood options and they had hand made cheese sticks last time I was there. So good it is a must stop any time we head to Key West.

Not a fan of any of the chains. Add me to the Buca=hell list.

In Culver City, there is a grilled cheese restaurant called Meltdown that I really need visit.