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plate of ravioli across the table from her 101-year-old brother, Antonio Tenaglia. In the orange glow of the fireplace, they tenderly listen to our conversation, always smiling, and gently nodding in agreement. “Antonio was a prisoner of war in Germany for three years during World War II,” explains Domenico. I am overwhelmed at the history and the stories that have brought this restaurant into existence and helped it thrive over the years. “We know in today’s world,” says Domenico, “everything is up, young people are sharing apartments, and we want to be reasonably priced without compromising the quality of the food. Everything is made to order, from the ravioli to the broccoli di rabe. We are just mixing and matching our pasta and sauces to what we like, but if someone wants something not listed and we can do, then we will say ‘Yes.’” The pizza remains the star of the show, and it is truly one of the most exceptional pies in the city. Mama’s Old-Fashioned Pie is built upside down, with fresh mozzarella layered over the sauce and topped with basil. On the Sicilian pizza, savory pepperoni curls in the heat, resting beside crumbled meatballs made with his mother’s recipe—which came from her mother, and her mother’s mother. “We can date most of her recipes back nearly 200 years,” Domenico says, as Maddalena nods in agreement. A plate arrives full of ravioli stuffed with shrimp and crab beneath a blanket of brandy cream sauce. Another version reveals the welcomed heat of roasted peppers and mozzarella beneath a velvety pepper cream sauce. We dig into the chicken Napoletana, which layers a pounded out chicken breast with thin ribbons of prosciutto and breaded eggplant, all resting on a plate of lemony Francese beneath golden-brown, fresh mozzarella. The food is just as tremendous as it was the first time I tried it 12 years ago. I admit there is an added warmth dining with the Sacramone family beside the fireplace, listening to stories of the past. “It’s all about the way were raised,” continues Domenico. “Friends would always say my mother made the best espresso, and ask me how she made it. I would respond that she used fresh cinnamon sticks, and the kids would say, ‘No, it’s something else.’ So one day when five of my friends were coming over, our house was filled with smoke. They asked if there was a fire, and I said, ‘No, we were just making the coffee.’ We would buy green coffee beans and roast them, taking turns stirring the beans whenever our arms would get tired. My friends were floored, and said, ‘You roast your own coffee?!’ I didn’t know there was any other way.” Most of the staff has been around almost as long as the restaurant, so the feeling of dining with family is an experience everyone enjoys. Domenico and Anthony rotate shifts during the week and work together on weekends. Specials reflect the varying tastes of the brothers, and every other weekend they create a singularly phenomenal rendition of meat lasagna, which should be paired with a pizza and shared. Later this month, they will even be introducing a brunch menu. Sac’s provides a caliber of cuisine and warm atmosphere that is often imitated but rarely equaled. Sac’s Place is a collection of recipes that can be traced back centuries to the Abruzzo region of Italy, from a loving matriarch who still offers her nurturing guidance, run by brothers who respect that heritage passed down to them, who proudly share it with the neighborhood where they grew up. Now, that’s a kind of meal I would be honored to try. 2541 Broadway, Astoria 718-204-5002 www.sacsplace.com Mama's Old Fashioned Chicken Napoletana MARCH 2016 I BOROMAG.COM I 44


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