Like most who open their own business, Carmel's Luigi Rukaj started with a dream. Since 1980, when he moved from Rome, Italy, to America, Rukaj has wanted to open his own Italian restaurant. Six months ago, Rukaj and his family took over what is now Luigi's Italian Restaurant on Gleneida Avenue in Carmel. Response from the community has been positive, with the cozy restaurant filled most nights.

"I should have done it 20 years ago," Rukaj told Daily Voice during a recent visit. "It's been great... It feels like I did the right thing." The restaurant specializes in popular Italian entrees and seafood, and features wood fired pizza. And the No. 1 requested dessert is Mama's Special. "Mama always made it for us, and we brought it in as kind of a inside joke," Rukaj said. "Now we go through many trays of it every week.. it's become our most popular dessert."

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Source: http://putnam.dailyvoice.com/