Nothing bohemian about Monte Cristos and private label biscotti
There's nothing bohemian about Monte Cristos and private label biscotti, but Mario's (once a card club) remains one North Beach’s most unpretentious hangouts. Basically a bar with an espresso machine (serving Graffeo beans) and a pizza oven, the cafe’s sidewalk tables provide a sunny perch from which to observe the human drama unfold across the street in Washington Square Park. The friendly waitstaff serves generous sandwiches - such as the heaping hand-rolled meatball and the delicate grilled eggplant (both under $7) - on fluffy foccacia from the venerable Liguria Bakery. Salads, thin crust pizzas and polenta round out the limited menu. There’s a good selection of California and Italian wines by the glass (from $2.50). For a change of pace, try a cappucc ino laced with a shot of vov, a sweet wine liqueur. Dessert is a highlight: try the tiramisú ($4), moist carrot cake ($3.50) or Mario's trademark biscotti.

There's another Mario's on Polk Street with live jazz Wednesday and Sunday evenings (7-10pm), serving the similar food (albeit at steeper prices), but the sequel lacks the unpolished Old World charm of the original North Beach location..    [18 May 2000 20:08:22]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: biscotti, Monte Cristos, meatball sandwich, cappuccino laced with vov

     ­andrew dean (laughtears), laughtears.net   adean at ekno dot com