DeStefano's Olde Erie Pub, Middletown, NY

DeStefano's, Chi Chi's, Scali's, Diana's, Tony Boffa's, are all names of good old school Italian restaurants in Middletown, NY. The only one left from the old days is Tony Boffa's, but DeStefano's is now called The Olde Erie Pub and is located on West Main. I shouldn't really say now, as they've been there for a few years. We've been there a couple of times for functions and always been pleased, so when we were going out with friends we decided to try them for dinner. In short, it was a good decision.

We got there at six-thirty and there was a crowd. The Kiwanis were meeting in the front room and there was an umpire's meeting upstairs. The bar was crowded, some of them people waiting for their meetings to start. We were shown to our table in the back room and given menus. I looked the menu over and there were some interesting choices. I decided on the Veal Savoya, beaded veal with prosciutto, roasted peppers and cheese with a lemon sauce. Teresa and Kathy got the Italian sampler special and Dan got pasta with scallops. We shared breaded and fried calamari as an appetizer. Everything was delicious and the portions were huge.

The bottom line? Good food, large portions, excellent service, good prices. You should stop by and pay them a visit. Skip the chains and eat good old school Italian food in a family run restaurant. They have a website for more information.