Brainerd Dispatch • Echo Journal • May 26, 2016
Page K15
Maucieri’s Italian Bistro in Crosslake wins Best Pasta in Minnesota citation In its Best of Minnesota series, WCCO television recently recognized Maucieri’s Italian Bistro in Crosslake for the Best Pasta in Minnesota, based upon votes of viewers. WCCO’s Natalie Nyhus visited with the owners of Maucieri’s in her video report that aired March 24. There are not many Italian restaurants in Minnesota lakes country, and that’s part of what makes Maucieri’s Italian Bistro work, her report said. They do approachable Italian food meant to bring everyone around the table. “Growing up you had these big dinners. Everything was loud and adults are drinking wine and people are arguing. Whether you’re here with two people or 10 people, get a bunch of dishes and pass them around, drink wine and have a good time,” said Tony Maucieri Jr., one of the owners of Maucieri’s. Tony Sr. was a milkman in Chicago when he decided to move his family to Crosslake. He knew of the area from his days in the service at Fort Ripley. They moved in 1974 and opened a supper club, now closed. Then 11 years ago, Tony Sr.; his daughter,
Dawn; and son, Tony Jr., decided to start their next adventure. “We wanted to be something different in Crosslake,” Dawn said. We wanted to have something that wasn’t available anywhere else. We decided to do Italian food because that’s our heritage.” The dishes are made like Grandma used to make. In fact, that’s where their recipes come from. “We call our spaghetti sauce gravy. That was quite the thing. People would read the menu and think brown gravy. But with my grandma, we’ve always called it gravy,” Dawn said. From the gravy to Italian sausage and meatballs, everything is homemade. At 79 years old, Tony Sr. still does all the prep work. “He’s here almost every day. Every day pretty much,” Tony Jr. and Dawn said. “I never measure anything. My mother and grandmother never measured,” Tony Sr. said. Sure, Maucieri’s serves up
some delicious Italian food, but they also bring friends and family together. And maybe that’s what makes them the best, the WCCO report said. “The thing that makes me happiest is people come in here and enjoy it so much. It gives you a good feeling to know that people enjoy what you’re doing,” Tony Sr. said.
Pictured from left to right are; Tony Maucieri, Natalie Nyhus (from WCCO), Tony Maucieri and Dawn Maucieri. SUBMITTED PHOTO 001423798r2
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