4515 Washington St, Roslindale; (617) 323-2111 Don’t be fooled by the neon pizza sign and humble facade of the Pleasant Cafe, just outside of Forest Hills; this is no sub shop. Inside, it’s a huge, folksy, family restaurant with a menu that’s big on Italian food and just plain big.
TTiey do, of course, have pizzas, made to your specifications on a nice, thin, crisp crust. These start at $6.75 and go up, depending on the toppings you choose. There are also sandwiches, like burgers for $3.25 or a veal cutlet sandwich for $5.25.
Dinners include seafood, prime rib and other meats; all of these entrees range from $6 to $10, and most come with scali bread and pasta or vegetables. Chicken cacciatore ($6.95) is a vast plate with chunks of chicken breast fresh half-mushrooms, peppers, and onions swimming in tomato sauce. It comes with spaghetti or ziti on the side, cooked just right. Broiled swordfish is one of the half-dozen daily specials added in on the blackboard just $8.50. Or try entrees of lasagna and meatballs ($6.95), pork chops ($7.95), or veal parmigiana ($8.95). All wonderful.
The portions are enormous. Even as they bring your dinner from the
Pleasant Cafe So much more than a pizzeria; Italian dinners served in a sprawling restaurant/bar for the old folks and young alike kitchen, the friendly waitresses tell you not to worry the doggie bag is ready and waiting. The bar area is lively and boisterous, usually with a ball game on the tube; this room has lots of dining booths, but there are two other large rooms as well if you want (a bit) less noise.
Corrib Pub
2030 Centre St. West Roxbury; 469-4177
396 Market St, Brighton; (617) 254-2880
201 Harvard St, Brookline; (617) 232-8787
See the listing under Brighton.