Last night, my roommate and I stepped out for an impromptu dinner at a small Italian restaurant we have been meaning to try: Modo Mio. Translating to “my way,” Modo Mio features Northern Italian cuisine boasting homemade breads and pasta.

Upon being seated, our waiter brought over two bruschetta tostadas with eggplant — we were off to a great start.

As it was our first visit, our server suggested the fixed-price menu, serving four courses for $40 per person. We chose to stick to the well-stocked regular menu instead.

We began with the special antipasti: panini-pressed Burrata between homemade bread smeared with capers, brown butter, oil and anchovies.

Our entrées, or secondi course, consisted of two gnocchi dishes. The regular menu option was homemade gnocchi in a mushroom cream sauce, and the other, a special, in a spicy red sauce.

Our waiter warned us Northern Italian fare can be on the salty side, but I assured him we wouldn’t be out-salted. The portions were $17 each. Although smaller than in the average Italian restaurant, each dish was filling.

Located on Girard Avenue in Philadelphia’s Old Kensington, Modo Mio is cash only and BYOB. Luckily for us, there was a Wine and Spirits shop right across the street.

Buon Appetito!

— Angelique Platas, office manager