Family Restaurant Review: Cousins Italian Deli
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Brandy Metzger
Interior of Cousin's Italian Deli
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Brandy Metzger
Chicken Marsala
One of my favorite cuisines is Italian. I grew up eating delicious Italian food prepared by my mother and grandmother and have also traveled to Italy and experienced the true taste of the country. Therefore, when I heard about Cousins Italian Deli offering family style Italian dinners two nights a week, I knew that I had to check it out.
Atmosphere
During the day, Cousins is a deli specializing in sandwiches and salads for breakfast and lunch. However, on Friday and Saturday nights, the deli is transformed into a fine Italian café. The tables are dressed in white linens and the lights are dimmed. Additional ambiance is provided by flickering drip candles placed on each table.
Affordability
Considering the amount of food that is provided during the family style dinner, the price is quite affordable. The cost for the meal is $25 for adults, $12.50 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5. Each meal includes homemade bread, hot antipasto, salad with homemade dressing, pasta, main course with a vegetable, homemade desserts and coffee. The portions are ample and you are allowed to box up any leftovers and bring them home.
Food Quality
The food was delicious and each course brought new and exciting flavors for us to enjoy. Our meal started with toasted bread and eggplant tapenade. This was followed by an antipasto platter which included sautéed shrimp, arancini (rice balls), eggplant rollatini and stuffed mushrooms. It was nice to be able to sample a variety of Italian appetizers instead of having to choose just one. The next course was a salad with the most amazing vinaigrette dressing. After this light course, there was a pasta course which featured penne pasta with homemade vodka sauce. The final hot course was chicken marsala and garlicky broccoli. The broccoli was so yummy that I could eat it every day.
The final course (the one that my five year old thinks is the most important) was dessert. This course included 3 desserts: carrot cake, biscotti and cannoli. The desserts were perfectly sized to have a small taste of each.
All the food tasted fresh and was well seasoned. Joe DeLiberto, the chef and owner of Cousins, uses local produce and meats as much as possible and makes breads, sauces and dressings from scratch.
Entertainment
There is not much in terms of entertainment in Cousins which makes it a great place for families to sit down and enjoy conversation. My daughter was highly entertained by the drip candle, however. The food is delivered to the table very quickly so there is not much time for children to get bored.
Family Conveniences
There are high chairs and booster seats for the smallest diners. Seating options are available for large and small families. The only family convenience not present was a changing table in the restroom.
Overall Impression
I have always enjoyed family style restaurants and great Italian food and Cousins provided the perfect marriage of the two. The combination of heavenly homemade cuisine and friendly service will bring my family and I back to Cousins for dinner. We will also be visiting soon during lunch hours to enjoy a yummy sandwich on homemade bread!
Cousins Italian Deli is open Monday-Thursday from 10am-4pm and Friday from 10am-3pm. Family style dinners are available Friday and Saturday evenings at 2 seatings each evening. For reservations or more information, visit the website at cousinsitaliandeli.com.
