Scene: When I take friends here for the first time, the reaction is always the same. First, "I had no idea this place existed," and then, "I'll be back." Tumea & Sons is an institution to south-siders, but somehow isn't well known to others (it can be tricky to find - you may want to do a Google Maps search). It's nothing fancy inside or out, but I always come away feeling like I've had a meal at a real Italian restaurant.
Food: The lunch menu features appetizers, several soups and salads, sandwiches and seven types of pasta. The dinner menu is much more extensive, with more sophisticated choices. On this visit, I ordered the Italian Sausage Sandwich, a gooey amalgam of Graziano's sausage, Tumea's sauce and melted mozzarella on a hoagie bun. The sausage is just spicy enough to enjoy, but not so overpowering as to ruin your afternoon sitting back at the desk. All sandwiches come with a choice of French fries, cottage fries, salad or soup. I opted for the salad, with creamy Parmesan dressing. For a simple iceberg lettuce salad, it was surprisingly flavorful. The soft, yeasty dinner rolls are served warm and taste as good as they look. My dining partner had the sausage cavatelli ($8) with the same salad, and he couldn't stop raving about the dish as he slurped up the last of the sauce from the crock that once was overflowing with zesty pasta and melted cheese.
On the clock: The food comes quickly, but if you're in a hurry, don't sit around waiting for the bill to arrive. Just go pay the cashier at the bar.
Bottom line: Real Italian food, reasonably priced, served in a friendly, homey atmosphere.
