That's because diners get caught up looking at all the appetizers, soups and salads. The latter are said to be sauteed in white wine, garlic and butter, but the soupy dish has a richness that suggests having been started with broth or stock. For a dollar more, you can have the clams with a few thin slices of Italian sausage and mushrooms, but these don't add much to the dish. It's possible to skip the appetizers because the staff delivers enough French bread to keep diners sated until something more substantial arrives. The menus are comparable in liberal use of garlic and salt, but this one has a slight edge in quality of produce used.
Lunch often leaves leftovers for dinner.
The marinara sauce has a warm, sweet flavor, without the acidic or sour quality sometimes associated with tomato products. For dessert, there's tiramisu, but if your only aim is to compare this version with others, don't be wasting your time with this one. Breakfasts are all-American eggs and bacon, etc. See a listing of past restaurants reviewed in the section online. Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays.