The Fat Man was in the mood for some Italian. A quick venture down to Berea landed the Fat Man at Papa Leno's with my good friend Kalen. Papa Leno's is a quaint Italian eatery offering classic pizzas & pastas, plus everyday salads, hot subs...& other fare.
I sampled a Basket of Brew City fries. These are beer-battered fries. They came out hot, fresh, crispy, and they tasted good. The fries were cooked to a crunchy golden brown on the outside while being soft and pillowy on the inside. However, they needed a touch of salt. I did expect something different with "beer battered" in the description; they were not battered at all.
I went with Mama’s Meat Lasagna for my meal. This was served with a large piece of bread covered in garlic butter. The toast on the bread was excellent. It had a nice crunch. The bread is baked fresh daily, and the garlic butter is thick but not overpowering in the garlic. The lasagna is meaty and cheesy, with a good cheese pull on the first bite. The noodles were a little overcookeded and disintegrated quickly during chewing. The lasagna had an excellent salt level, and the meat had a good flavor. The sauce has a nice sweetness to it. I think there needed to be more sauce to cut through the salt, meat, and cheese. The portion size is pretty good, especially for lunch.
Papa Leno's menu offers several selections, including desserts. They also serve beer in a can or bottle. The staff was helpful and pleasant, and the food came out quickly. The Fat Man says that Papa Leno's is Fat Man Approved with 1 chin.More