Mario's Ristorante in North Reading changed hands late last year after being in business for 30 Years. The new owners will keep the old menu as it was, at least for now.
They are in a small strip mall, so there is plenty of parking. I skipped the outdoor seating since it was pouring down.
Before 4:00 PM you order at the counter and the food is brought out to you in the dining room.
The little dining room was comfortable, even if you could see right into the kitchen,
I started with the Aranchinis (5.00). "Rissotto Rice Stuffed With Hamburger, Peas,Ham, Mozzerlla Cheese and Dipped in a seasoned Bread Crumb. Served with a side of red sauce". It obviously should have been Aranchini, since you only get one. The real menu has it in the singular. The description within quotes is a cut and paste from their website. The arancini were crispy and the tomato sauce was pleasant. Yes, you get the dreaded rolled up silverware.
The description was accurate, but there wasn't exactly an abundance of the fillings. The rice was really well seasoned and cooked well. It was so tasty and so creamy on its own that you really didn't need the sauce.
If I had looked at the napkin holder on the next table before ordering, I would have seen exactly what I would get.
I could have sworn that I saw the Shrimp Scampi Pizza ($13.95) on their online menu, but I can't find it again. "Olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, basil and mozzarella cheese". The tomatoes should have been diced, now you get pizza with a big slice of tomato in between eating pieces with shrimp. The garlic was absent, and it needed more "scampi". Eating a slice was like eating a cheese pizza, then eating a cheese pizza with tomatoes, then eating a cheese pizza with shrimp. This did not work as a pizza. The crust was very good and light and properly seasoned.
Look at that jumbo shrimp! The shrimp were perfectly cooked and very tasty.
Address 20 Main St, North Reading, MA 01864
Phone number (978) 664-8533
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