My friends endure endless stories about restaurants they just have to try, desserts that will blow their socks off, and this red sauce just like my Italian cousin-in-law makes. I am a champion of exceptionalism sharing with infectious enthusiasm everything that is good in the world.

So, when I was confronted by a fellow champion friend who was raving about a restaurant's stuffed sweet peppers, pizza and meatballs, I knew that this could only end in sharing a meal. Randazzo’s Italian Market, at 240 Capitol St. in Denham Springs, is a modest 1920s bungalow with some Spanish revival decorations, a metal awning and large arched windows.