Brutico’s, Main St., Old Forge, PA

Brutico’s is a venerable restaurant in the Italian village of Old Forge, carrying with it not only a reputation for fine Italian food, but also a reputation for being the favorite watering hole of some of the leading members of prominent Italian ‘families’. However, that was years ago. Today, Brutico’s has changed hands from the Brutico family; has remodeled extensively; and is attracting a wide variety of folks. The new décor features a granite-topped bar; funeral home-like window drapes; and original paintings of Italian scenes that look like they were painted in a Chinese painting factory.
The food started favorably. A complimentary offering of pizza was great. A side salad with house dressing of oil and vinegar with a touch of garlic was okay. A foot-long toasted Italian roll was wonderful. Although the extensive menu did not feature spaghetti and meatballs, they offered a choice of at least half-dozen pastas – I chose homemade macaroni to go with my red sauce and meatballs. The macaroni was a bit overdone – but okay – and the sauce was fine. But the meatballs were undercooked. When the waitress asked me how everything was, I told her the meatballs were undercooked. She told me not to eat them, and offered me new meatballs. I declined. When the bill came, I was charged $14 for the pasta, $3 for the meatballs and $6 for the Chianti – not a customer-friendly move on their part, I felt.
Style/ambience ****
Food ***