Dan's Papers - February 22, 2008 -

We had dinner at Lidia's and Franco's last Saturday. They had a full house. Franco was in his typical mood, playful and enthusiastic. "Lemme cook for you!" he said. Lidia is a friendly, easy-going hostess - no pretense, no stodgy formality. They love having people over and that feeling rubs off on their guests - everyone enjoys unwinding with some friendly dinner conversation.

Did I mention that Franco's and Lidia's place is a restaurant? Matto just feels like a dinner party at a friend's house - a friend who happens to do Italian home cooking very well.

Owner Lidia Buonnano and Executive Chef Franco Russo opened the restaurant last June on North Main in East Hampton - a convenient location with none of the town's parking insanity. The restaurant is laid back, too, maintaining a good decible level. With music definitely in the background, the overriding sound is that of happy diners. Even in a packed dining room, a whisper could be heard. Seriously. I had laryngitis and could still be heard by my dining companion. The dining room is also easy on the eyes. A long, bleached wood country table in the center establishes a homey feeling, softened by white fabric that cascades down the sloped ceiling.

The food at Matto is reminiscent of the good restaurants in Little Italy. No surprise, since Russo got his start in the kitchen at Angelo's on Mulberry Street, eventually working his way up to executive chef. He served lunch to former President Regan, spaghetti and meatballs to the Stones, and pasta to Oprah. In 2000, Russo signed on as Saracen's top chef before moving to Matto with a loyal following of customers and wait staff, including Alexandra, our charming, friendly server.

At Matto, Russo doesn't stray much from his Neapolitan birthright, serving classic regional dishes like Crostini di Mozzarella (a deep fried mozzarella sandwich), Linguini alle Vongole, and of course, pizza - believed to have originated in Naples. In fact, his handcrafted, thin-crust pizzette are popular for lunch and dinner. On our visit, straying into other regions, we tried fresh gnocchi with tomato sauce - the gnocchi light and creamy, the sauce simple with the right combo of sweet and salt. I ordered one of my favorite pasta dishes, Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, which hinges on the sausage to infuse the flavor. The promise from the rich aroma was fulfilled: it was a fine version of this dish with just the right proportion of meat, vegetable and pasta. Russo likes it spicy, as I do. Let him know beforehand if you can't take the heat.

The mustard and walnut-crusted Salmone Crostato entrée was on the mark - an enormous piece of salmon with a rich butter sauce balanced with lemon, served with asparagus and roasted potatoes. Nice. I did a no-no for a food review and ordered a special - rack of lamb with port wine sauce, silky spinach and a rich mushroom ragout perked up with chopped cherry peppers.

We also ordered a dessert special - strawberries three ways. After the substantial meal, a few chocolate covered berries made a refreshing ending. Though unnecessary, we also tried the Tiramisu. A lovely coup de grace.

Matto's wine list relies heavily on Italian from several regions (starting at $26 a bottle), and they offer good options by the glass, priced at $8-$15.

Our meal at Matto had started with Insalata Matto - radicchio, endive, onions and more, drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction. Russo topped it with a potato croquette just like my mother used to make - crunchy and greaseless on the outside, smooth and full flavored inside. Matto felt like a visit home, filled with people enjoying the experience and the food. It's not a place for dainty eaters, hypersensitive palates, or the over analytical. With generous servings and bold flavors, Matto is a great place to go with friends and family, enjoy the company in a relaxed atmosphere and have a good meal.