Photo by Beverli Alford

Welcome to the food and lifestyle magazine for the modern family. Designed to be the ultimate resource guide for families, including parents and their children, our goal is to help you to eat, live, be well and thrive.

We believe that regardless of who you are, what you bring to the table, or where you began, you have the ability to nurture your family, create an environment of love, good health, and comfort for yourself, and beautifully share it with your family and friends.

Respites

Trattoria da Franco

There are those moments when the best get-away is just around the corner. For the past couple of years my husband and I have parked in front of this intriguing, yet unassuming restaurant and had promised to one day venture in. Recently we did just that and my response, why did we wait so long?

Dining at Trattoria da Franco is like taking a trip to the home of a favorite Italian grandmother. The atmosphere is very welcoming as you are greeted by the owner who will at some point during your visit, serenade you with traditional Italian songs. And if you are the shy type, lose it because the best of this experience is when you join in.

A staple of Old Town Alexandria Virginia for the past twenty-five years, chef and owner Franco Abruzzetti has prepared a menu that is reminiscent of the great restaurants typically found in New York neighborhoods, known for keeping with true Italian tradition.

The dishes are plentiful and succulent and cooked to perfection, made with the very best fresh ingredients. And in keeping with the family atmosphere, a sample of the chef’s choice is brought to the table for you to sample while you wait for your order to be prepared. During our visit I ordered salmon which was to die for and while my husband chose veal which was thinly-sliced finished with a perfect sauce made with capers and wine. We finished our meal with a decadent frozen chocolate bomb that was made with the most glorious bittersweet chocolate and one was more than enough for the two of us to share.

Trattoria da Franco has been one of the most successful restaurants in Old Town, Alexandria for the past 25 years. The excellence and vast experience of its award-winning executive chef and owner, Franco Abruzzetti, stands by the great taste and high quality of any dish served in his very quaint restaurant. It is the home of traditional Roman cuisine, as many politicians from Capitol Hill and famous celebrities have discovered. For those who love the special blend of atmosphere, cuisine and Italian wines, Trattoria Franco is the perfect BREATHER!

Visit their website at http://www.trattoria-dafranco.com/.

© 2013 Good Living Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Photo credits: Beverli Alford and Seth Blaustein. Site by Ariela Steif.