Back to the Basics: Michael's on Midland Avenue

The first time I went to Michael’s it was a scorcher of day in July. One of those 102-degree days that felt like 114 degrees on the heat index.

It was almost unbearable walking outside, and I relished the chance to sit in a cool place with home-style Italian food and a cold beer.

When I walked in it felt like a muggy sauna. The A/C had broken and a sole bartender sat at a table, one hand wiping sweat from her face and the other fanning air toward her. I took a seat at the bar a couple of stools down from a man watching News 12 Westchester.

“Hi, how are you, what can I get you,” the bartender said as if she was in a comfortable climate.

I figured that if the restaurant was going to stay open in these freakish conditions, the least I could do was give it some business.

“I’ll take a small pepperoni pizza to go, and a Stella while I wait.”

In the fifteen to twenty minutes it took for the pizza to bake, a sporadic stream of people came through to pick up food, stop and chat, or talk business. All friendly, (each one acknowledged me and struck up a conversation), they ranged from businessmen to softball players.

One gentleman came into to pick up a pizza for his family after a long day at work. Another finished his drink while talking about the news of the day with me. Two softball players came in begging to watch a couple of innings of the MLB All Star game before the place closed, and the electrician stopped by to drink some scotch, fiddle with the air conditioner, and try to convince the bartender to open the doors to get a draft through.

Michael's is a rare eatery that meshes a restaurant and a local bar into one common place. After five minutes, everybody feels like a regular.

The second time I went back the place cooled down, and got more crowded. The 15-seat bar was near capacity and the sparsely decorated and green-tinted dining area in the back had a couple of tables full for dinner. Unfortunately, the patio was closed due to a rainy night.

After deliberating over the menu, my friends and I decided to stick with Italian classics to test the food against the countless other versions we have eaten in the past. Our platter consisted of garlic bread, pasta fagioli, rigatoni alla vodka, chicken parmesian and Michael's signature pan pizza.

Even with the restaurant thin on diners, it took our food quite a while to come out of the kitchen. Otherwise, the service was friendly, and non-imposing.

When our food came out it looked like dishes of home-made Italian food - large portions with plenty of pasta. We ate family style, as all Italian food should be eaten,.

The food, both plentiful and filling, was not one of the best Italian meals we ate.

“The pizza has a bit of a tomato paste to it,” my friend said.

I agreed. The first time I ate the pizza it was above average, but this time something did not work out. The chicken cutlet, for example, could have been a bit crispier on the outside instead of soggy

The rigatoni alla vodka was the winner of the night, with not one negative thing to say about it. If I go back I will absolutely get the pasta fagioli to start. The white bean and pasta soup was big enough for a main dish, and tasty enough to eat two of.

Maybe Michael’s was having an off night in the kitchen. It happens to some restaurants. But people love the place, and rightfully so. It is not going anywhere and draws a great mixed crowd of eaters and drinkers.

In the end, the three of us left with enough food for another meal. Who can complain about that?

Michael's is located at at 125 Midland Avenue in Port Chester. Open seven days a week, until 10pm on Sundays, and 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Take out and catering available (914)-939-2532

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