Eat out at home with the owners

Allegria Ristorante Italiano

8 Welsh Pool Rd., Exton, 610-524-6060.

www.allegria-pa.com.

Hours. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Dinner: 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

No smoking.

Wheelchair-accessible.

BYOB.

Reservations recommended.

Price range. At lunchtime, antipasti, panini sandwiches and pasta dishes are $6.50 to $12.95, with a few higher-end daily specials priced at $17.95. Dinner entrees range from $16.95 to $29.95. Twelve of the 19 dinner entrees are priced over $20 - a bit unexpected, especially at an independent BYOB in the 'burbs.

Parking. There is a lot on site.

What's the story? Allegria is just what chef Salvatore D'Aprano and his wife, Giuseppa, had hoped for since they married 20 years ago: a cozy restaurant where family and friends could gather over good food. Since opening in 2000, the owners, both from Italy, have been living their dream at this special dining hideaway.

The scene. Right off Route 100, along a quiet side road, sits this simple coral-colored cottage. Allegria is such a hidden gem that many foodies from nearby Chester Springs don't even know it exists. It has two quaint rooms, each seating 20 and decorated in a simple Italian style. An oak floor and impressive staircase (leading to the couple's living quarters) complete the warm and welcoming scene.

What we had. My special date for the evening (my daughter) and I stopped in recently for a midweek dinner, starting the enjoyable meal with a hearty bowl of pasta e fagioli ($6.50) and a plate of lightly breaded calamari ($10.50), its dipping sauce more of a mild red gravy than the "hot, spicy" billed on the menu. Entree portions were abundant: My red snapper Livornese was piled high on pasta and topped with capers, black olives, herbs and white wine with a light tomato sauce ($27.95). The young lady loved her cannelloni di carne, each baked tube of pasta stuffed with meat, spinach and cheeses ($16.95). For dessert we shared Giuseppa D'Aprano's homemade tiramisu ($8). The $90 bill (with tip) for two was higher than I had anticipated for such a modest enclave, but the meal made for a worthwhile "date" nonetheless.

Chef's suggestions. D'Aprano recommends his rollati di vitello ($25.95) and the capellini Adriatico ($22.95).

Nice touches. Breaking bread in someone's home - you won't find a restaurant like it in northern Chester County.

After you eat. Route 100 offers scores of shopping options, including the Exton Square Mall and Main Street at Exton.