PHOTOS
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
PHOTOS
Randy Shemanski
We took a trip down Pittston Avenue in Scranton recently to a cozy restaurant named Mango Italian Grille. But, not long after settling into our seats in the corner of the relaxing fine dining establishment, we found out the name was changing in two days to Osso Bucco Italian Grill & Bar.
Fortunately, that’s all that appears to be changing. The quiet dining room with Italian music playing lightly was the perfect setting. With candles, flowers and salmon-colored napkins that matched the curtains and wall design, Osso Bucco is a good place to take a date or for a business dinner.
Plus, the bar area features a handful of bottled beer and a wide variety of liquor for your mixed drink pleasure.
We stopped in on a quiet Monday evening and were greeted by the always friendly Jimmy, who previously worked at Sambuca Grill on Penn Avenue in Scranton. Osso Bucco will remind the dining crowd of Sambuca in many ways – the upscale feel, the cozy atmosphere, the daily specials and the appetizer and pasta selections on the menu.
There is one difference in Osso Bucco that makes it stand out from Sambuca and other similar restaurants – the seafood choices on the menu. Many of the pasta dishes include shrimp, clams or even mussels, as with the Linguine Posillipo. There are also three menu items featuring shrimp – Fra Diavlo, Francese and Scampi – as well as three fish items – Salmon Picata, Sole Rollatini and Zuppa Di Mare.
Last, but not least, are the combo grille choices, all featuring seafood. Among the nine choices, the Lamb Chops and Clams; Filet Mignon, Crab Cakes & Shrimp and Ribeye Steak & Jumbo Shrimp caught our eyes the quickest. There’s also three kabob choices – steak, chicken and pork.
After we passed over the appetizer selections — although the Grilled Scallops and the Mozerella Caprese sounded good — we settled on the the Ribeye Steak with Jumbo Shrimp ($21) and the Fettucine Alfredo with shrimp and scallops ($14.95). Both came with soup or salad, and two pieces of bruschetta, and a basket of warm bread kept us happy until our bowls of pasta fagioli came, which was the perfect starter.
The entrees quickly followed. The steak and shrimp were covered in a tasty gorgonzola sauce and came with small potato wedges and a vegetable mix that included carrots and asparagus, but we bypassed the rest; we weren’t there for the veggies. The tender steak was cooked just how we like it – medium well – and the shrimp was plump and delicious, thanks to a little help from the sauce.
As good as the steak and shrimp combo was, the fettucine alfredo was the clear winner at our table. Unlike many Italian restaurants that bury the pasta in the alfredo sauce (we try to eat as healthy as possible, mind you), this serving had the perfect amount of rich sauce mixed with the pasta, shrimp and scallops. No worries about sauce dripping on our shirts or getting to the bottom of the plate and searching through a pile of sauce for one last noodle or scallop.
The portions were the perfect size as we cleaned our plates thoroughly, yet there was no need to add dessert. After this meal, we were convinced that Mango, er, Osso Bucco is worth the trip down Pittston Avenue.
That does bring us to the one drawback we found with Osso Bucco – the location. Scranton’s South Side doesn’t have the best reputation, despite the marked improvement that area has made over the past three or four years. Green Ridge it is not, and never will be, but it’s also not North Philly, which is one of the roughest areas in the country.
There is no off-street parking available, although an empty gas station across the street could serve as a parking lot of sorts. We’ve made three trips to Osso Bucco since it opened as Mango about two months ago and didn’t have to walk more than 25 yards to the door.
It may not be downtown where many good restaurants can be found, but a trip to Osso Bucco for some good steak and seafood should be on your holiday wish list.