The Romeo gang met again this month for lunch at Bacci’s Restaurant in Stoneham, MA.
Although the restaurant doesn’t have a web site, you can see a restaurant review at the web link ….. http://www.wickedlocal.com/stoneham/archive/x1277295354/Auffrey-Bacci-s-of-Stoneham
It was a beautiful day in the 60’s with the sun shining and blue skies. Arriving a little early I parked in the municipal parking area in Stoneham Square. I got out of the car and saw Joe Loduca and Joe Lapiana walking in the park area. The town has done a great job with planting trees and flowers with park benches and paths for strolling or relaxing. From the park you could see a lot of the town buildings, homes and churches. I took some photos of the surroundings including some church steeples. Some had interesting architecture. Joe Lapiana commented that you could see a Congo in the distance. He was referring to the square shaped roof of a congregational church. There is a 2 hour limit at the muni parking lot, so I moved the car to Bacci’s lot that is quite small, after seeing the meter maid checking cars.
Stoneham square is a busy place filled with several restaurants, post office, police station, banks, shops, the Mass General Hospital Suburban annex and the Stoneham Theater. At the theater you can see live off-broadway plays. Ticket prices are reasonable and you can even pay what you want on the first Thursday of each month. See the web link at ……. http://www.stonehamtheatre.org/
Most Romeos arrived at about noon and we were seated at a long table in the rear. The décor is traditional Italian with paintings on the walls, sculpture and flowers. As you enter there is an open bar, area for take-out, booths for lunch and dinner and function room in the rear. Ten Romeos were in attendance: Joe Loduca, Ed Deschuytner, Jim Terlizzi, John Tweedie, Peter Gabriel, Joe Pignatiello, Joe Balsama, Paul Girard, Mark Ryan and Joe Lapiana. You can see some photos of the group at the web link below …… http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunch42909
We ordered drinks and waited for the others to arrive. Most ordered Peroni beer, Sam Adams, Amsdel Light, Martini, Soda and Ice water with Lemon. Peter G. (the frugal gourmet) likes to make his own lemonade. The waitress announced some specials and we read the menus looking for that special cuisine. The prices for lunch were quite good ($7-$10) with surprising large portions. The choices were different for each of us ranging from: chicken, shrimp or veal scampi or cacciatore, to Fra Diablo with mussels and calamari and lastly tripe. We also got two orders of calamari appetizers. The chef brought out a large plate of delicious Raviolis on the house and there was plenty of fresh toasted garlic bread.
The conversation was great as usual. We laughed and joked and poked fun at each other. Joe P. talked about making wine at the Winery in Dorchester. The process takes a whole year with several meetings to prepare the wine batch. Joe made a zinfandel wine, crushing and straining grapes and periodically testing the process.
Paul Girard is from French heritage along with his wife who is French and Polish. He spoke fluent French growing up and going to St. Joseph’s Parochial school in Salem. He also described eating polish blood sausage and other polish delights.
Joe Loduca and Joe Pignatiello ordered Tripe and talked about how they ate different foods as a kid. Joe L. raved about eating pig’s feet and others talked about other exotic foods like caviar, and cow’s brain. Joe P. mentioned how the TV Travel channel has a show on exotic foods.
John Tweedie is heading to Florida next week. He frequently visits Fort Lauderdale area and Pompano Beach for R&R and likes to play tennis there. In fact he left a little earlier today for a tennis date.
We talked about baseball and the Red Sox. I mentioned going to Lowell to see the Spinners and maybe dinner after. Joe Lapiana said he would get the particulars.
Joe P. talked about biking from Somerville to Provincetown Cape Code and taking the ferry back. He got stopped by a state trooper for biking on Rte. 6 and escorted off to Rte. 6A. I asked if he ever tried the Pan Am challenge and he said you need to have mucho pledge donations to participate as well as too long a distance.
After dinner we had coffee, cappuccino and dessert to share. Before we noticed 2 hours had passed quickly and we called it a day. Before leaving though, Paul Girard offered going to the BYC in Marblehead for lunch next month. All agreed.
Comments are welcome. Send email to markryan82@comcast.net
Although the restaurant doesn’t have a web site, you can see a restaurant review at the web link ….. http://www.wickedlocal.com/stoneham/archive/x1277295354/Auffrey-Bacci-s-of-Stoneham
It was a beautiful day in the 60’s with the sun shining and blue skies. Arriving a little early I parked in the municipal parking area in Stoneham Square. I got out of the car and saw Joe Loduca and Joe Lapiana walking in the park area. The town has done a great job with planting trees and flowers with park benches and paths for strolling or relaxing. From the park you could see a lot of the town buildings, homes and churches. I took some photos of the surroundings including some church steeples. Some had interesting architecture. Joe Lapiana commented that you could see a Congo in the distance. He was referring to the square shaped roof of a congregational church. There is a 2 hour limit at the muni parking lot, so I moved the car to Bacci’s lot that is quite small, after seeing the meter maid checking cars.
Stoneham square is a busy place filled with several restaurants, post office, police station, banks, shops, the Mass General Hospital Suburban annex and the Stoneham Theater. At the theater you can see live off-broadway plays. Ticket prices are reasonable and you can even pay what you want on the first Thursday of each month. See the web link at ……. http://www.stonehamtheatre.org/
Most Romeos arrived at about noon and we were seated at a long table in the rear. The décor is traditional Italian with paintings on the walls, sculpture and flowers. As you enter there is an open bar, area for take-out, booths for lunch and dinner and function room in the rear. Ten Romeos were in attendance: Joe Loduca, Ed Deschuytner, Jim Terlizzi, John Tweedie, Peter Gabriel, Joe Pignatiello, Joe Balsama, Paul Girard, Mark Ryan and Joe Lapiana. You can see some photos of the group at the web link below …… http://picasaweb.google.com/markryan312/RomeoLunch42909
We ordered drinks and waited for the others to arrive. Most ordered Peroni beer, Sam Adams, Amsdel Light, Martini, Soda and Ice water with Lemon. Peter G. (the frugal gourmet) likes to make his own lemonade. The waitress announced some specials and we read the menus looking for that special cuisine. The prices for lunch were quite good ($7-$10) with surprising large portions. The choices were different for each of us ranging from: chicken, shrimp or veal scampi or cacciatore, to Fra Diablo with mussels and calamari and lastly tripe. We also got two orders of calamari appetizers. The chef brought out a large plate of delicious Raviolis on the house and there was plenty of fresh toasted garlic bread.
The conversation was great as usual. We laughed and joked and poked fun at each other. Joe P. talked about making wine at the Winery in Dorchester. The process takes a whole year with several meetings to prepare the wine batch. Joe made a zinfandel wine, crushing and straining grapes and periodically testing the process.
Paul Girard is from French heritage along with his wife who is French and Polish. He spoke fluent French growing up and going to St. Joseph’s Parochial school in Salem. He also described eating polish blood sausage and other polish delights.
Joe Loduca and Joe Pignatiello ordered Tripe and talked about how they ate different foods as a kid. Joe L. raved about eating pig’s feet and others talked about other exotic foods like caviar, and cow’s brain. Joe P. mentioned how the TV Travel channel has a show on exotic foods.
John Tweedie is heading to Florida next week. He frequently visits Fort Lauderdale area and Pompano Beach for R&R and likes to play tennis there. In fact he left a little earlier today for a tennis date.
We talked about baseball and the Red Sox. I mentioned going to Lowell to see the Spinners and maybe dinner after. Joe Lapiana said he would get the particulars.
Joe P. talked about biking from Somerville to Provincetown Cape Code and taking the ferry back. He got stopped by a state trooper for biking on Rte. 6 and escorted off to Rte. 6A. I asked if he ever tried the Pan Am challenge and he said you need to have mucho pledge donations to participate as well as too long a distance.
After dinner we had coffee, cappuccino and dessert to share. Before we noticed 2 hours had passed quickly and we called it a day. Before leaving though, Paul Girard offered going to the BYC in Marblehead for lunch next month. All agreed.
Comments are welcome. Send email to markryan82@comcast.net
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