Muscarella's: Old World and Modern in one

Photo by: Special to The Vindicator

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Muscarella’s Cafe Italia - Appetizer sampler with fried mozzarella, Italian fried greens and mushroom bruschetta

SHARPSVILLE, Pa.

When Tim Patton, head chef and part owner of Muscarella’s Cafe Italia, serves up a bowl of the restaurant’s popular minestra soup, he also serves up a charming family story.

“My Italian great-grandmother invented this soup by using leftover vegetables from the produce market where she worked,” he said. “In those days they didn’t waste anything, and they had to be creative and make every last bit of food count. They would even dunk a slice of stale, day-old bread in the soup so the broth would soften it.”

In honor of the old family recipe, Muscarella’s minestra comes with a slice of bread (fresh, not day-old) dipped in the broth and consists of ham, greens, beans, potatoes, carrots, celery and other vegetables. The soup is hearty and flavorful, and it’s easy to see why Great-Grandma’s clever concoction has endured for generations — it’s simply delicious!

This is just one recipe that has been handed down through the generations to grace Muscarella’s fine Italian menu. Owners Tom “Potsy” Patton Sr., Tom Patton Jr. and Tim Patton are proud to be descended from Italian immigrants and are just as proud to operate a restaurant that’s been serving authentic Mediterranean cuisine to Mahoning Valley residents for nearly 24 years.

During my visit to this beloved local eatery, which is tucked quietly away on Main Street in Sharpsville, I was fortunate to sample some of the house’s most popular dishes, and I was thoroughly impressed.

My meal started with two soups, the previously mentioned minestra ($4) and Muscarella’s award-winning wedding soup ($4).

This was by far the best wedding soup I’ve ever tasted. Tim’s mouth-watering recipe of chicken, tiny meatballs, greens and pastina is superb, and it’s easy to see why it was voted the best at the “soup”-er bowl of 2008, 2009 and 2010, and why folks reportedly drive for miles just for a serving.

After whetting my appetite with two satisfying soups, I sampled a trio of equally satisfying appetizers: mushroom bruschetta ($6), Italian fried greens ($6) and fried mozzarella ($6).

The mushroom bruschetta features Tuscan bread grilled with olive oil and topped with sauteed button mushrooms and Romano cheese. The pairing of tender mushrooms and crisp bruschetta is sublime, and I will definitely order this when I visit again.

The fried Italian greens consist of escarole sauteed in olive oil and garlic, and the fried mozzarella is hand-breaded to perfection and served with house red sauce, chiffonade of basil and a dusting of Parmesan.

Muscarella’s offers 13 homemade sauces (wow!) to choose from when creating your own pasta dish. The vodka sauce was my favorite. It contains prosciutto and roma tomatoes that are sauteed and blended with cream, vodka and Parmesan. The generous chunks of tomato are bursting with flavor and blend ingeniously with the creamy yet tangy sauce.

I also tried the traditional red sauce, which is delicious, and the spicy red pepper sauce, which has plenty of kick to complement a plate of pasta.

No visit to an Italian restaurant would be complete without lasagna ($12) or chicken parmigiana ($12). Muscarella’s lasagna boasts multiple delicate layers of creamy, three-cheese filling and sumptuous red sauce. Meat lovers can also order a version made with loose sausage, Bolognese sauce and meatballs.

The chicken parmigiana is hand-breaded, fried, and then baked, topped with mozzarella and red sauce and served over spaghetti. I would recommend these traditional favorites to anyone who is visiting the restaurant for the first time.

However, the menu includes numerous unique dishes that demand a taste. There are many seasonal selections, and Chef Tim is constantly inventing new recipes, many of which find their way into weekend specials.

One amazing new entree that Tim brought to my table was pasta with a pistachio sauce infused with orange liqueur and fresh mint. The surprising layers of flavor, the fresh aroma of mint and orange, the hearty crunch of the pistachios — oh, this dish was spectacular!

Muscarella’s also offers a variety of steaks, sandwiches, salads and seafood dishes. I enjoyed a delectable sampling of sauteed jumbo tiger shrimp on a bed of basil pesto pasta. The menu includes a wonderful seafood linguine ($18) and linguine and clam sauce ($15).

Everything at Muscarella’s is made in-house, except for the Italian bread, which comes from Mancini’s bakery in Pittsburgh, and its cheesecakes, from DiLorenzo’s in Sharpsville.

And make no mistake, if you dine at Muscarella’s you simply must try the caramel walnut cheesecake. This decadent dessert is to die for with its wholesome slivers of walnuts, sweet, creamy filling and whipped cream topping drizzled in caramel.

Chef Tim also whipped up some tiramisu, which is fluffy and dreamy, served in an old-fashioned ice cream parlor-type dish.

From the exterior, Muscarella’s appears somewhat small, but once patrons step through the front doors they find the restaurant is very spacious. The building extends to include a private banquet room that seats 65 people, which can be reserved for bridal showers and other special occasions.

The atmosphere is classy yet casual, dimly lighted, with vintage Sinatra playing on the sound system. Muscarella’s also boasts a bar area where patrons can enjoy many local wines and beers, and it offers catering services.

Chef Tim said he learned the art of cooking from his grandmother, Jennie Muscarella Patton, and both he and his brother, Tom Jr., had previous experience in the restaurant business before their father, Tom Sr., decided to open Muscarella’s after retiring from Sharon Steel Corp.

Through the years the restaurant has earned a solid reputation as a hot spot for fine Italian dining. Office Manager Jamie Raykie said the classic dishes, derived from time-tested family recipes, as well as the ever-inventive culinary skills of Chef Tim, keep customers coming back for more.