FoodHawk Review:
Wow! You know Austin's cuisine scene is truly urbanizing when the newest Italian market really looks and feels like one from New York City's SoHo or Little Italy, or from one of Texas' urban environments like Houston. Mandola's is the real deal, a neighborhood grocery/restaurant fashioned after those in small Italian towns by Damian and Trina Mandola, who learned the business from their own ancestors, who established Mandola's Grocery in Houston in the 1930's. [If the name's familiar, the Mandola's are well known for Houston's gourmet restaurant Damian's Cucina Italiana and the popular Carrabba's chain.] In addition to wonderful meats, pastas, breads, salads, sweets, vegetables, cheeses, condiments and other canned and take out goods, hungry Central Texans can choose from a full menu and dine inside or on the patio of the Triangle's latest eatery. From house brewed coffee and pastries in the morning diners can peruse a wide selection of soups, salads, appetizers, hot and cold panini, pizzas, and pastas-spaghetti, bucatini, fedelini, gnocchi, ravioli, tagliatelle, tortellini, linguine, lasagna and trenette. A hint: don't miss sampling one of Mandola's authentic Italian desserts. A large selection of Italian wines by the bottle and glass will complement any meal, dine in or take out, and party trays and gift baskets help make the market a neighborhood delight.