The best table, in front of the welcoming fireplace, had a little “Reserved” sign on it. We had resigned ourselves to a table in Siberia, when the hostess picked up the sign and invited us to sit. We’d been upgraded.

It was a pleasant start to a great evening at Mangino’s Ristorante, where we tasted some amazing things. Mangino’s is going on 70 this year, according to Richard Mangino, who started working in the restaurant when he was 8 years old. So they have some things down.