No nonsense Italian food

For years I have been making to drive to restaurant on night's when I want some good pizza.

Located in a strip mall at Country Club Drive and Monterey Avenue, the family style joint is marked by the red, green and white awning and red checked tablecloths on the small bistro tables that offer seating outside.

Inside, a small bar offers a full line of cocktails, house chianti and wide assortment of old fashioned Italian sodas featuring flavors like blackberry, orange and lime.

Diners enjoy a small, cozy dim ambiance that feels like your grandparents living room. The wait staff is casual and homey, offering their tips on classics like the special fennel sausage that comes piled up on Papa Dan's famous pizzas.

The pizzas are light and fluffy atop crusts that are not too thick and not too thin. They've been making pizza for so long, they've got a distinctive taste that can't be found anywhere else. My favorite is the simple margarita laden with garlic, fresh diced tomatoes, olive oil, cheese and large leaves of basil. They are also great at white pizzas, like the one studded with chunks of chicken and garlic, or exotic varieties like the barbecue chicken.

Other favorites are the no-nonsense spaghetti with large, yummy meatballs and other stripped down pasta dishes.

An assortment of salads are offered as well such as a tangy blue cheese, chopped pear, red onion and walnut variety or a traditional Italian oil and vinegar version.

You always leave feeling full, with a smile on your face, and much merriment from the wait staff that won't forget your name on your second time around.