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Community Corner

Bites Nearby: Davitino's

New location but same great taste at Davitino's

is still on Mentor Avenue, but its address has changed, now at 8820 Mentor Ave.

Serving Italian cuisine in Lake County for the past 23 years, Davitino's decided to relocate because the old plaza was "dying," said Tina, the owner, who didn't supply her last name but said to call her Mrs. Davitino. "I'm not old enough to retire, and my two children are also part of the restaurant," she said.

Davitino's, despite its neat sign and strip mall location, is a family restaurant. David, Tina's husband, helped start the restaurant, but when he died seven years ago it was a change for the business. (Davitino's is a combination of David and Tina, if you didn't know.)

"It's been a process these past seven years. I knew I had to continue what he started. He created such a fantastic product," Tina said. "The customers fell in love with it."

Tina praised the construction group that helped the restaurant relocate in just four months time. The new location has been running since April and now has a full liquor license and bar, open during regular restaurant hours — till 7 p.m. during the week and 9:30 p.m. on weekends; Davitino's is closed on Mondays.

"Customers had thought we closed up, never to be seen again. But I have to say the construction guys (Veterans Construction in Mentor) were fantastic," Tina said.

The menu is not available online and a request to fax the menu could not be obliged. But the old Saturday specials are now available every day. And daily specials, like chicken parmesan, are offered on Tuesdays.

But the menu is still the same, the selling point, Tina said.

"Customers know it's going to taste the same if they come in today, and then again in two weeks. My husband was a Marine, and that's how the kitchen was run. He trained them with consistency. You don't deviate from what you've established.

And, she added, the sauce is always the key.

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