MVBRB visits Italian restaurant and has an excellent burger

By Anthony M. Fuda

    Eighty three years ago, the Cassesse family started up a nice Italian restaurant, the MVR, in the Smoky Hollow region of Youngstown. The residents of Smoky Hollow might have changed, but the restaurant still thrives.

    This month the Mahoning Valley Burger Review Board (MVBRB) checked out the MVR (Mahoning Valley Restaurant) -- just to see how the burgers stack up.

    The MVR has a cozy, family-oriented setting with local sports pictures on the wall and a pleasant atmosphere. The menu offers two burgers -- plain and with cheese. But those burgers are loaded with flavor throughout.

    "This wasn’t your regular run-of-the-mill ground beef," co-chairman Jerry Tranovich said. "They packed a lot of flavor into a small package."

    Flavor is the key with these burgers. Everyone agreed the flavor was prominent, and blended well with the toasted bun and toppings.

    The burger is very inexpensive; combine it with fries and you have an affordable meal.

    "For the price, I don’t think you can beat it," Tranovich added.

    Whether it’s students stopping by between classes, fans coming in after a game, or just the regular neighborhood crowd, the 4th generation Cassesse family keeps healthy servings of their Italian food ready for any crowd.

    Who would have thought 83 years ago, a restaurant specializing in Italian food would have such an excellent burger?

    "The MVR is an Italian restaurant, but that doesn’t mean they only have spaghetti," Tranovich said.

    The burger might be hidden in the menu, but it’s well worth the search, and a bargain too.

3 1/2 stars



If you feel your burger has what it takes to take home 2010’s Burger of the Year award, email us at mvbrb@hotmail.com">mvbrb@hotmail.com.

Also, please check out www.myspace.com/mvbrb for any new information or to tell us to come and rate your burger.