Gio Italian Grill

• “We don’t have any children. For the past 9 1/2 years, Gio has been our child. We have nurtured it and watched it grow, and I couldn’t have done it without her,” says Tony DiMaio, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Giovanna.
• The open-flame hearth in the center of the dining room represents an old-world style of cooking and is the heartbeat of this cozy space. Being an Italian restaurant, there’s plenty of pizza and pasta sauce to go around, but this eatery is one of the few with ingredients so fresh and ripe that they don’t need to add sugar to any of their sauces.
• Please, a moment of silence for these glorious Short Ribs. It’s a dish that’s almost obscenely good, the kind of meal that would entice you to stay for dinner even at your worst enemy’s house. Braised boneless ribs with creamy pancetta white beans and a topping of fried leeks? Don’t mind if we do.
• You saved room for dessert, didn’t you? How about a rich piece of homemade flourless Chocolate Fudge Cake, stuffed with a soft chocolate center? This after-dinner treat comes with fresh whipped cream and strawberry puree.
• May we also recommend the Scampi? It’s a bed of arugula topped with shrimp sauteed in garlic, lemon, white wine, and butter, served with crusty Italian bread to soak it all up.