Modo Mio Tasty Italian tucked away in the hustle and bustle of North Dallas at Modo Mio. The Northern Italian export from Southern California has become a very popular place. Most nights are crowded for dinner in a room that already feels crowded, because of too many tables. In fact, that’s my only complaint about Modo Mio--they’ve jammed too many tables into otherwise comfortable rooms. So hope that you enjoy the conversation at the table adjacent and vice versa-or that there’s no over-applied perfume wafting. The restaurant has a warm, rustic look. The service is friendly. The food is based on the Northern Italian philoshopy of restraint with spices and sauces-or “just enough” to flavor without covering up. The dishes are lighter here, too, at Modo Mio. No cream or butter in most dishes, and those that do contain them are duly noted. Appetizers-or antipasti-seem pricey. There’s a wide selection, however. From carpaccio to portobella, all the ingredients are the freshest available. There’s a tangy baby artichokes dish with shaved parmesan, lemon and extra virgin olive oil that I’d try, and the roasted bell peppers with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes is another good choice. The menu is actually quite simple. A few selections of pasta and a small grouping of meat, fish and chicken dishes. I much prefer this arrangement to the novel length menu. This way you know, the best recipes and the best ingredients are being showcased. It really depends on your favorite pasta. Two to try are Linguine with chicken, sun-dried tomato, garlic and arugula, and Penne with salmon, vodka and fresh tomatoes. If you like a seafood combination, I’d go for the Risotto Pescatore with shrimps, clams, mussels and calamari. A shining star on the carni e pesci list is sautéed chicken breast with herbs and capers in a white wine sauce. It’s tender and delicious. We also had the fresh fish of the day offering, a sea bass that was rather non-descript and mushy. Meat selections are numerous with scaloppini, a big veal chop, a breaded veal chop, filet mignon medallions and lamb chops. The wine list is utilitarian, matches well with the cuisine and features some pretty good choices by the glass. Modo Mio is open for dinner only seven nights a week. It’s located at the northeast corner of The Dallas North Tollway and Frankford Road-next to Mi Cocina. Call 972-671-6636 for reservations. On The KRLD Restaurant Show Review Scale of One to Five Forks, Modo Mio rates 3 Forks. Food is 3 and a half Forks. Service is 3 Forks. Atmosphere is 3 Forks. Price is moderate to expensive, with entrees ranging from $8.00 to $24.50. Send me an Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.