Sometimes, and often when it's least expected, you  stumble across a restaurant that just seems to radiate joy. There's that  frisson of buoyant anticipation as you walk in and an enveloping  happiness that accompanies you to whatever table happens to be open. It  doesn't matter which one, they all seem to be equally great. That  democratically distributed charm is more assured when the restaurant is  small, let's say, perhaps, 39 or so seats.

Coincidentally, that is exactly the number of chairs at Molte Bene Italian Eatery,  which right now occupies  the bright center of that aforementioned joy.  That warm radiant quality is in full effect in the eatery, a little  country cottage-styled structure improbably placed in the asphalt jungle  of upper Detroit Road in Lakewood. Light-filled late summer afternoons  soften into a romantic glow at night, courtesy of a galaxy of twinkle  lights tucked into white tulle curtains.