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BUT THE CITY SAYS THEY CANNOT
USE AGE TO REFUSE SERVICE
UNLESS THEY'RE UNDER 21.
NOTHING HITS THE SPOT LIKE
A FILLING BOWL OF PASTA.
IT IS A FAVORITE FOOD FOR
MANY AND SO WE WENT SEARCHING
FOR THE BEST INMAN MINNESOTA
AND YOUR VOTE SENT US FOR A
MILE AT THE BISTRO IN CROSS
LAKE.
[ MUSIC ]
Reporter: ITALIANS LOVE
THEIR FOOD AND THEIR FAMILY.
GROWING UP, YOU KNOW, YOU
LAD THESE BIG DINNERS AND
EVERYTHING WAS LOUD AND THE
ADULTS ARE DRINKING WINE AND
PEOPLE ARE ARGUING AND WHETHER
YOU'RE HERE WITH TWO PEOPLE OR
10 PEOPLE, GET A BUNCH OF
DISHES AND PASS THEM AROUND AND
DRINK WINE AND HAVE A GOOD
TIME.
Reporter: AND PASTA IS THE
GLUE.
ADMITTEDLY I WAS SURPRISED TO
TRAVEL INTO LAKES COUNTRY FOR
THE BEST OF MINNESOTA.
HOW MANY ITALIAN RESTAURANTS
ARE THERE IN LAKES COUNTRY?
NOT VERY MANY!
Reporter: THAT'S PART OF
WHAT MAKES THIS ITALIAN BISTRO
THE CROSS LAKE WORK.
AND MY DAUGHTER SUGGESTED
IT, I KIND OF LAUGHED.
I FIGURED IF IT DIDN'T WORK, WE
COULD ALWAYS CHANGE AND DO
SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT WORKED.
Reporter: HE WAS A MILKMAN
IN CHICAGO WHEN HE DECIDED TO
MOVE HIS FAMILY TO CROSS LAKE.
HE KNEW OF THE AREA FROM HIS
DAYS IN THE SERVICE AT FORT
RIPLEY.
IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY.
WE MOVED HERE IN JANUARY THE
15th.
IT WAS 45 BELOW WHEN HE PULLED
INTO TOWN.
AND I SAID TO MYSELF I MUST BE CRAZY!
BUT I'M STILL HERE BECAUSE I
LOVE IT.
Reporter: THEY MOVED IN 1974
AND OPENED A SUPPER CLUB, NOW
CLOSED.
AND THEN 11 YEARS AGO, TONY
SR., HIS DAUGHTER DAWN AND SON,
TONY JR., DECIDED TO START
THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE.
AND THEY SUCKERED ME INTO
THE BUSINESS, SO -- AND THAT
WAS FINE.
IT HAS BEEN GREAT EVER SINCE.
Reporter: THEY DO
APPROACHABLE ITALIAN FOOD MEANT
TO BRING EVERYONE AROUND THE TABLE.
OKAY.
AND WE DECIDED THAT WE MAYBE
WANTED TO OPEN A RESTAURANT
AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT
AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE, SO WE
DECIDED ON DOING ITALIAN FOOD,
OF COURSE, BECAUSE THAT IS OUR
HERITAGE.
THE DISHES ARE MADE LIKE
GRAND MA DID AND THAT IS WHERE
IT CAME FROM.
WE CALL OUR SPAGHETTI SAUCE
GRAVY.
OH, GRAVY.
PEOPLE READ THE MENU, GRAVY?
PEOPLE ARE THINKING BROWN GRAVY.
MY GRANDMA ALWAYS CALLED IT GRAVY.
EVERYTHING IS HOME MADE.
AND THE GARLIC SALT AND MIX
THEM UP.
AND AT 79 YEARS OLD, TONY
SR. STILL DOES ILL OF THE PREP WORK.
I NEVER MEASURED ANYTHING.
MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER NEVER
MEASURED.
SURE THEY SERVE UP SOME
DELICIOUS EYE TOOLIAN FOOD, BUT
THEY ALSO BRING FAMILY AND
FRIENDS TOGETHER AND MAYBE
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM THE
BEST.
THE THING THAT MAKES ME
HAPPY IS PEOPLE COME IN HERE
AND ENJOY EVERYTHING SO MUCH,
IT GIVES YOU A GOOD FEELING TO
KNOW THAT PEOPLE ENJOY WHAT
YOU'RE DOING.
AND WERE THEY FROM CROSS
LAKE?
AND WE HAVE THE BEST PASTA
IN MINNESOTA!
SALUTE!
SALUTE!
YUMMY!
THEY WANT TO LET CUSTOMERS
KNOW THAT THEY ARE SON GOING TO
BE SERVING DISHES FAMILY STYLE
FOR EVERYONE TO SHARE.
AND YOUR OTHER FERRET SPOTS FOR
PASTA ARE IN IN MINNEAPOLIS AND
LILYDALE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE
BEST SPORTS BAR IN MINNESOTA,
SO YOU CAN TWEET NATALIE YOUR PICK.
YOU CAN E-MAIL HER AT WCCO.COM