Teo's Mia Roma Best For Adults, Older Kids

Teo's Mia Roma, Italian cuisine, 7614 Bothell Way N.E., Kenmore. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to midnight, Sunday 3 to 10 p.m. Major credit cards. For reservations call 486-6200.

-- KENMORE

There's nothing subtle about Teo's Mia Roma.

From the moment diners notice the 8-foot Madonna and Christ child sculpture in the lobby, they can tell this isn't just another Italian restaurant.

The Kenmore establishment appeals to mostly casually dressed diners attracted by a menu rich in pasta, pizza and Italian specialties - not to mention a "wall of fame" with autographed photos of celebrities over the reservations counter.

I mean, where else on Bothell Way can you find a mug of tough-guy Frank Sinatra in the same room with a red votive candle hanging from an ornate wrought-iron fixture on a brick fireplace?

Soak up the atmosphere as you wait for a table. Live piano music plays in the background. Outdoor dining is available.

The Friday evening my husband, 2-year-old daughter and I dined here, the place seemed to be filled with regulars, readily pointing out one of the dozen spaghetti dishes and nearly 20 other pasta creations.

There was no question about my husband's dinner selection: he's a veal parmigiana zealot ($10.20 a la carte; $13.60 dinner). Rich in mozzarella cheese, his choice arrived moist but a little on the tough side. A thick and zesty sauce made up for extra chewing.

My choice was a little more painstaking. How could I ignore the spaghetti algio and olio-garlic with oil (with or without anchovies) for $7.60 and $10.80? But that would rule out the spaghetti alle vongole (with clam sauce) for $8.70 and $11.95.

If I hadn't been ordering something needed to share with a toddler's palate, the melanzane parmigiana (eggplant parmesan for $8.70 and $11.95) would have won me over.

Fickle me. I ended up choosing the mostaccioli ($8.70 and $11.95) to share with our tot. Good choice. The meat sauce satisfied me and the tube-like pasta pleased my daughter. Plus, the serving was so filling we ended up taking half of it home for the next day's lunch.

Maybe part of the reason the meat sauce seemed so filling was because we ordered it as part of a dinner. Dinner prices include minestrone, antipasto salad (found only in a garbanzo lover's dreams), bread sticks and ice cream.

Though our toddler loved her meal, the atmosphere and service at Teo's Mia Roma is more suited to adult dining. Meal preparation is careful and too slow for a hungry kid. (Parents of older, more patient children will be happy to find a child-size serving of spaghetti and ravioli for $4.55 and $4.75, respectively.)

Next time we'll order a pizza to take home. The 14-inch and 16-inch pies are hefty meals, according to friends who favor Teo's Special: a combo of pepperoni, salami, sausage, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, onions and green peppers for $15.50 and $17.30.

Most other single-topping pizzas cost about $10.90 and $12.35. Fresh tomatoes or extra cheese can be added for about $1.50.

Restaurant reviews are a regular Thursday feature of the Seattle Times Eastside Life section. Reviewers visit restaurants unannounced and pay in full for all their meals. When they interview members of the restaurant management and staff, they do so only after the meals and services have been appraised.