Bites Nearby: Mama Roberto's Pizza & Pasta

The phrase moderation in all things, including moderation takes many forms and is attributed to many speakers. (Not surprisingly, Mark Twain and Ben Franklin are among the alleged sources.)

should use the saying somewhere in its brick home at 8658 Mentor Ave.

Gorging yourself on pasta, calzones, pizza and breaded cutlets is not good for the waistline, and not good for your health.

But neither is completely abstaining from Mama Roberto's authentic Italian cuisine. “Our customers never walk away hungry” is a philosophy of owners Rick and Renee Roberto, who brought 60 years of family knowledge to this Mentor location, which opened in 1999.

Dinners served with tossed salad, bread, butter and Mama Roberto's famous garlic balls include favorite chicken ($14.95) and veal ($17.95) dishes — parmigiano, marsala, florentine, among others.

There is linguine and cavatelli and lasagna and stuffed shells and ravioli and, well, you cannot beat Mama Roberto's menu in a game of Categories: Italian food.

Lunch offers paninis — walleye, meatball, roast beef and many others ($7.50 to $9.95); calzones, featuring the standard pizza toppings ($8.95); and small (9 inch) and large (12 inch) pizzas in a predictable price range.

Its website boasts its cannoli was voted best in Cleveland. Fried dough, Spumoni and mint chocolate chip ice cream finish the dolci, or dessert, menu.

A good friend of mine likes the service dining in, and typically splits a regular pasta dinner with his wife. He said: “The red sauce is not your traditional tomato paste-based sauce, but diced tomatoes. It's not as saucy as you might expect. The pizza is good; the bread is great. And the price is reasonable for everything.”

Mama Roberto's caters weddings, banquets and showers, and is good in a pinch.

Again, my friend: “I've had people over and called and said I need food for 15 adults and five kids. They pack it all up, and then we pick it up. They always give us more than we needed.”