Open since last December in the former Friendly’s ice cream shop at the Golden Triangle in Mystic – that busy interchange off Interstate 95’s Exit 90 – this is another of restaurateur Bill Middleton’s properties, and it shines with its own personality.

When we asked the hostess at Andiamo to describe the cuisine, she said, “We are like an old-school sauce joint, serving northern Italian like what your grandmother would make.”

It was all very good. On our most recent visit, three of us went at noontime, and the lunch menu features a lot of smaller portions of what they serve up at night. They are less expensive, smaller plates, but still substantial.

We started with the half pizza and salad, $16, selecting the Caesar and a Tomato, Parmesan, Garlic Oil, and Basil pie. Both were delicious. There were four slices of the pizza, and it was hot, with a thin, crunchy crust that was topped with halved fresh roasted grape tomatoes, a delicately delightful red sauce, and just the right amount of cheese and basil. We oohed and aahed as we each ate our slice and divvied up the last one.

The salad was made with crisp romaine, house-made croutons, a couple of anchovies on top, and a dressing that was light and not too creamy. They had served a basket of warm, crusty bread with a little tub of herb garlic butter with our beverages, and we used some of it to mop up the salad dressing so it didn’t go to waste.

We were a hungry crew. We shared three of the lunch entrees. The Spaghetti & Meatballs, $16, got our top vote. It was so simple and sinfully good. It was a thin spaghetti with a perfect marinara and two big flavorful meatballs with a dollop of whipped ricotta on top.

The sauce was light and perfectly clung to the pasta, and the meatballs were tender, not dense like they can sometimes be.

The Chicken Milanese, $15, also got good reviews. It was served on a bed of arugula and radicchio with a tangy good lemon vinaigrette. The greens were a perfect accompaniment to the chicken, which was lightly breaded and golden fried, yet somehow incredibly moist and flavorful beneath that coating. It also helped that the salad got a good helping of shaved parmesan because, well, everything is better with cheese.

We voted the Spaghetti and Meatballs our favorite entrée, but honestly, the Chicken Milanese was a strong competitor, as was the Chicken Piccata, $16.

The chicken in the piccata dish was just the perfect crispy on the exterior and tender and flavorful on the inside, and that creamy lemon caper sauce was extraordinary. It was one of the best we have tried, with a little lemon zing that made the dish sing. It was a very large portion of penne with the sauce, enough to take home for another lunch.

There is plenty more on the Andiamo menu for both lunch and dinner, including starters such as minestrone soup, $8; a cheesy garlic bread, $8; arancini, $14; sauteed clams, $15, and a meatball bruschetta, $13.

They have a variety of salads ranging in price from $13 to $17, and you can pay extra and add chicken or a veal cutlet, meatballs, cod, shrimp scampi, or roasted mushrooms. There are also additional dinnertime entrees such as Roasted Cod Livornese, $30; a Mystic Cioppino, $32, and Pasta Primavera, for $25.

Middleton, the previously mentioned Andiamo owner, has invested heavily in Mystic and runs very good operations. He is also the proprietor of Jealous Monk, Rio Salado, and Rio Rapido, all in the Golden Triangle. Taquerio, in downtown Mystic, is also his property.

In addition, Middleton is remodeling the former Rodeway Inn, next door to Andiamo, to become a standalone, non-branded, 56-room hotel, which he intends to name The Commodore.

I know, I know, I’ve said it before, but there are so many good choices for dining out in our region, and I’d suggest next time you’re hankering for Italian to give Andiamo a try.

Andiamo

247 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic

(860) 415-1151

www.andiamo-mystic.com

Atmosphere: You would never guess that this used to be a Friendly’s ice cream shop. The interior is old-world Italian now, with dark wood, dark tin ceiling tiles, chandeliers, wallpaper from your great-grandmother’s parlor, and chairs and bar stools covered in red leather. There is a massive horseshoe-shaped bar and decorative black-and-white tiled floors. The exterior has been painted a bright red with black trim.

Alcohol: Full-service bar

Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with happy hour Monday through Thursday 3 to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Prices: Reasonable

Credit cards: Yes

Handicapped accessibility: Yes

Outdoor seating: There is a large patio with nicely planted flower boxes separating the dining area from the parking lot, and every table has an umbrella and comfortable chairs.