When I was growing up, my family rarely went out to eat. Why spend the money on such extravagance when you can cook a perfectly acceptable meal at home? So it was with some hesitation that I invited my mother to join my husband and me for lunch at Amedeo’s Ristorante while she was visiting us from Ohio.

Before the meal was over, my mother declared that we absolutely must go back to Amedeo’s the next time she’s in Virginia. After we paid our bill and were getting ready to depart, she did something unusual for her: She sought out our server, Jinx Leonard, to express how delighted she had been with the expertly crafted food and the warm, impeccable service.