By Myles Ma
Padrino’s Bistro and Italian Steakhouse is a family restaurant. But it is also a family-run restaurant. Kim Coppola owns the business along with her husband, Leonardo and her father, William Begley. Many of Leonardo’s dishes are family recipes. Nancy Begley, Kim’s mother, makes manicotti fresh every day. Begley and Tina Coppola, Leonardo’s mother, make cookies and tiramisu together.
Even the Coppolas’ 3-year-old son has a presence at the family business. Occasionally he’ll put on an apron and walk around the restaurant, talking to customers.
“He likes to help out,” Kim said of her son.
Each family member helps out in their own way. Kim Coppola handles banquets and catering, her father, who worked in finance but was forced to retire because of the economy, concentrates on the business end, and Leonardo is executive chef.
Leonardo has worked in restaurants since he was 14. His family owned Lamberti’s Cucina in Lawrence, which he took over and turned into Leonardo’s 2. He also owned Leonardo’s in Hamilton Marketplace.
Leonardo and Kim met at Lamberti’s Cucina, after which she went into the restaurant business full-time. Though she misses her old job as a counselor to children with drug and alcohol problems, she enjoys owning Padrino’s.
“I love our customers,” Kim said. “I love being around people. I love the rush of a busy night.”
Kim said Padrino’s has many regulars, who keep returning for the restaurant’s traditional Italian dishes and its Italian spin on the American steakhouse. Many of restaurant’s most popular dishes couple Italian ingredients with steaks, like the Firenze, which tops sirloin steak with lemon pesto, served over creamed spinach.
On the bistro side, customers can get a quick meal with gourmet quality, Kim said. Padrinos’ array of paninis are customer favorites. The two most popular are the Del Monico, which includes a Del Monico steak with mixed greens, roasted peppers and prosciutto, and the Fantasia, which includes grilled pesto chicken, with spinach and mozzarella cheese.
Kim said Padrino’s tries to serve high quality food at family prices. She acknowledged that it is difficult for families to go out to dinner given the economy, but the pricing at Padrino’s, coupled with the large portions, makes it worthwhile.
All of the food at Padrino’s is made fresh to order, Kim said, and Leonardo will cater to whatever customers ask for. Padrino’s is BYOB.
Every Tuesday night is tapas night at the restaurant, and guitarist Arturo Romay performs Spanish and Mediterranean music. “Bring a bottle of wine and just relax,” Kim said.
Padrino’s caters, and has served up to 150 people off-site and can accommodate 90 people at the restaurant. The restaurant also delivers.
Padrino’s is located at 2452 Kuser Road, in the Briarwood Shopping Center. Padrino’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Early bird specials are Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (609) 587-7575, or go online to www.padrinosofhamilton.com.
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