I just received the first bound copy of my third collection of pennies and wanted to celebrate. So I took Christine to my favorite restaurant, a quiet little Italian eatery called Bon Appetit located on Avenue S in Brooklyn, New York.

Besides the quaint and romantic atmosphere, the restaurant’s chef and owner is Guido, who does not cook because he wants to feed his customers – but because he has a true and genuine passion for what he does.

Living in Brooklyn, there is far from a shortage of Italian restaurants. But many of them cater to a high volume of customers, so they make huge pots of sauce and prepare their most popular dishes ahead of time so they can be ready for the rush of hungry customers – not Guido. With only fifteen tables in the restaurant, there is no need to make food ahead of time for his customers. But even if his restaurant had one hundred and fifteen tables – he would cook his food just the same.

Whenever I walk into his restaurant, he greets me as if I am a member of his family. And when I sit down to eat – he doesn’t even have to give me a menu because he knows exactly what I want. And despite the fact that I have eaten there countless times – I have never left with a bad taste in my mouth.

Of all the delectable dishes Guido prepares – my favorite are his portobello mushrooms over arugala with a balsamic glaze. Every time I go there, I ask for a double order because it is that good. Besides the mushrooms, another one of his amazing appetizers that is my mom’s favorite – and now Christine’s favorite – is Guido’s unmatchable artichoke. I love artichokes and have eaten them at dozens of other places – but no one can do to that vegetable what Guido does. His artichokes are so good, that one holiday – my mom ordered a dozen to go for our at home family dinner.

As for his main courses – no restaurant I have ever eaten in comes close. And I should know – because I spent a two years writing a restaurant review column and reviewed some of this City’s greatest restaurants. And of all the places I have ever reviewed – it was Bon Appetit that was my favorite.

Like Guido’s passion is reflected in his cooking – my passion is reflected in my writing. So when I reviewed Bon Appetit after I ate there – I wrote a review describing the restaurant as a place where anyone that wants to truly enjoy a great dinner should visit.

After the review was published, I got a call from Guido’s wife Maryann, who told me that the night that the review hit the newsstands – they actually had to turn people away because they could not fit them in the restaurant. I was so happy to hear that people who read my review felt my passion for Guido’s passion and decided to give his restaurant a try. I am sure that there was not one person that left unsatisfied.

If anyone reading this column is ever in Brooklyn, New York and wants to try the best Italian food in the borough, head over to Avenue S and say Bon Appetit – and tell Guido I said hi.

“A bottle of red, a bottle of white.
Whatever kind of mood you’re in tonight.
I’ll meet you anytime you want,
in our Italian restaurant.”
Billy Joel – Scenes from A Italian Restaurant