the dish
Mario's is serving up authentic Italian cuisine by lauren baugh
I
f you have not been to Mario’s Meat Market and Deli, you might think, “Hmmm. Is this like a smaller version of the Publix Deli?” The answer is NO! I have been to Mario’s many times in my life. Although I am not even 1% Italian, I can tell this is a legit, real deal, Italian meat market and deli. Michael-Anthony Pica, one of our LCBA board members and committee member of our LCBA Foundation Golf Tournament, once told me Mario’s is his family’s delicatessen. It was clear I needed to revisit this spot with Michael-Anthony and get to know the place on another level. So, we arranged to do just that! We meet at Mario’s, and when the front door glides open, we are greeted with the most wonderful smell of freshly baked Italian Bread, among many other tantalizing scents. I see beautiful fresh produce, walls of amazing cheese selections and case after case of fresh, scratch-made Italian items. There are also aisles of specialty items. It is truly a cook’s dream! I am amazed at the sheer volume of products in the store. Most of them are fresh and scratch-made in the cases. Friendly faces are ready to get me anything I could possibly want. Mario’s Owners, Michael and Vincent, are the sons of Mario. They treat each employee as if they are family members, and it shows. Each
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employee clearly cares about the place, the customers and the products. Back to the smells. I am intrigued by the sauce, and I want to try it. What better way is there to try it than with the meatballs? Michael-Anthony knows everyone here, so he and I sit in the back trying a variety of delicious items. The employees start bringing us dishes, and I know I will leave stuffed. “The Godfather” is a cold hero featuring prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and olive oil. I’m told the bread is freshly made, so I am super excited. I have no idea what I am about to eat, but it does not stop me from taking a bite of the hero. The fresh mozzarella, the fresh bread, the freshly roasted red peppers and the imported prosciutto - It is out of this world!
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