I have passed Villa Mosconi for most of my life on the way to Bleecker Street on Macdougal. The restaurant is more secluded from the hectic nightlife scene on Bleecker, but there is an old-school feel to the joint as you pass it. We finally decided to eat at this family-run Italian restaurant.

Upon entry, we were greeted by a cohort of extremely friendly and jolly employees who treated us like — you guessed it — family. There are rows of pictures of all sorts of people who have been at the restaurant over the years. Our waiter was extremely friendly and attentive. He made us feel very comfortable and right at home.

The menu is very simple and straightforward. There were actually less pasta dishes than I would have expected. I didn’t know what to order, so I asked my waiter to give me the best pasta dish they have. So, the waiter gave me a pasta called Paglia e Fieno, apparently a huge classic and specialty by the Mosconi family.

Well, the pasta was excellent. It resembles an elevated Carbonara. The pasta is a spinach and egg taglierini, and there is prosciutto, peas, and heavy cream. The sauce was excellent, and all of the components of the dish came together very well. It was not too oily, and there was good flavor. Other dishes at my table included a Veal Milanese called Costoletta alla Milanese, which looks very good, and another pasta dish with mushrooms.

Finally, we hit off dessert with a classic, homemade Tiramisu. I always believe an Italian restaurant is truly tested based off of their Tiramisu. There was also a Zabaglione with berries, which is basically an egg yolk creamy dessert. Tiramisu was high standard, and the real deal. It did not disappoint. Presentation of the Tiramisu was very simple, but that  may have been to emphasize the homemade nature of the dessert.

Overall, Villa Mosconi proved to be a respectable, friendly, and tasty old-school Italian restaurant for some authentic cuisine. You feel right at home, and you want to come back again. The decor and menu is simple and straightforward, but provides you with a high-quality Italian experience. I would very much like to return.