Mary Ann's Trattoria

It was wonderful to return to Keith and Kansas City and we celebrated by going to a new Italian restaurant near our home. It's called Mary Ann's Trattoria. The outside decor is unassuming and it's located in a strip mall that also houses our gym. The inside, however, is full of personality. A mural of an Italian cafe scene on one side highlights the main dining room. The centerpiece of the banquet room is a family wedding dress in a display case.

The main attraction, of course, is the food. The entire menu features family recipes with her own personal touches. We started off with the Fried Meatballs appetizer. They were lightly breaded and fried in olive oil and served with a side of Sugo sauce. The meatball's flavors were varied, strong and yummy. The Sugo sauce is Mary Ann's slow-cooked sauce with pork, fresh herbs and lots of fresh garlic. It's slightly sweet and very good. We moved on to our salads, both house with the house-made Italian dressing. They were bowls of mixed greens with tomatoes, onions and artichoke hearts and some of the best Italian dressing I ever had. Full of fresh herbs and spices, I could have drank the dressing. Keith had a velvety Fettuccini with Shrimp. For my main course, I had this amazing Chicken Spedini. The dish featured lightly marinated and Italian breaded Chicken breasts topped with Amogio cheese and served with mostaccioli and Sugo sauce. That chicken just melted in my mouth in a burst of flavor. So, so good.

Clearly, Mary Ann and Co. represent the real deal Italian. The place was packed with many fellow Italians and the atmosphere was friendly as well as lively. The live entertainment by the name of Rudy only added to the atmosphere. Rudy seems to be a very personable crooner of Sinatra standards.

Benvenuto, Mary Ann. You're a welcome addition to the neighborhood.