Anyone Remember this Restaurant???

[Lana Rosanna Dana]

There used to be an Italian restaurant east of downtown (somewhere
between downtown and north side of the University of Houston). I cannot
remember the name or location but it had been in business for many years.

I cannot find it listed in any restaurant guide -- they all seem to have
shrunk as far as the east side of town is concerned. I wonder if it is
our of business. Does anyone know anything about this restaurant?

Anyone know of any other older, privately owned restaurants, entres $10
- $16, suitable for a nostalgia birthdaya event?

Lana

[Gulffritallary]

Like you I cannot remember the name, but it was on Fulton and still may be
there.

[Aunt Vicki]

I am blanking on the name, but aren't you talking about the place in the old
bank building that was on Leeland? Think I ate there once about 20 years ago
when a grad student at UH.

Am thinking there is an Italian place of more recent vintage maybe also on
Leeland, perhaps a Mandola family venture?

Someone help me out here! D-uh!
Vicki

[Bryan Williams]

For several years, Pino's maintained a very good Italian resturant
located just north of UofH until they moved out on Westheimer in the
(late 1970's????).

Somehow Joe Matranga's rings a bell as a possible Fulton/Irvington
location.

[Lana Rosanna Dana]

Aunt Vicki wrote:

>I am blanking on the name, but aren't you talking about the place in the old
>bank building that was on Leeland?
>

Yes Yes Yes. That is it. It no longer exists??? What a shame.

Lana

[Hane]

"Lana Rosanna Dana" <lnel...@UNSPAM.houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3DAD96AE...@UNSPAM.houston.rr.com...

That was Ballatori's... and it does no longer exist.

h-

[Lana Rosanna Dana]

Hane wrote:

>That was Ballatori's... and it does no longer exist.
>
>h-
>
>
>
>

That was it. I am sorry to hear that it no longer exists. I was really
looking forward to a birthday in a "nostalgia vintage" place.

Lana

[vonroach]

On Wed, 16 Oct 2002 14:33:30 GMT, Lana Rosanna Dana
<lnel...@UNSPAM.houston.rr.com> wrote:

>There used to be an Italian restaurant east of downtown (somewhere
>between downtown and north side of the University of Houston). I cannot
>remember the name or location but it had been in business for many years.

You seem to be describing the Eastwood area - there used to be many
Italians and Restaurants in that area.

[vonroach]

On 16 Oct 2002 14:48:40 GMT, gulffri...@aol.com (Gulffritallary)
wrote:

>Like you I cannot remember the name, but it was on Fulton and still may be
>there.

No, that is a different area. That was Joe Matranga's - the oldest
Italian Restaurant in Houston. Matranga was an ex-vaudvillian, now
deceased. Last time I was out that way, there was still some sort of a
restaurant in the building. It's a dangerous part of town now.

[Frank Mancuso]

Joe Matranga's wasnear there,b ut on Fulton. I sure miss that place!

[kerr]

> Am thinking there is an Italian place of more recent vintage maybe also on
> Leeland, perhaps a Mandola family venture?

Mandola Bros deli still exists on Leeland. It's been there for years.
Kerr.

[A. Brain]

"Hane" <jhu...@b4-u-eat.com> wrote in message
news:bLgr9.698$yc5.23...@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com...

>
> That was Ballatori's... and it does no longer exist.

It wasn't that good. This was an era well before we got the
outstanding Italian restaurants that we have now. I think the
last time I went there was around 1980.

It was a neat building though, and I think is still standing.

--
A. Brain

Remove NOSPAM for email.

[A. Eason]

Mandolas is on the corner of Cullen and Leland and it is still there;
it is only open for lunch.
Ballatore's closed about 4 or 5 years ago, after the owner died and
the children decided not to continue the business. The building was
the old Tellepsen Bank Building. It is now a City of Houston
building.

Just down the street on Telephone (Leland becomes Telephone about
three blocks to the east) is Kamomwan's... the famous Thai restaurant.
There is also Fiesta Loma Linda on Telephone (nearer to I-45). And
closer in to town is To Chau for great Vietnamese.

And yes, the East Side doesn't have many great restaurants anymore.

For family-owned, how about Patronella's (off Washington Ave.)... very
good food and cozy rooms.

Lana Rosanna Dana <lnel...@UNSPAM.houston.rr.com> wrote in message news:<3DAD78B...@UNSPAM.houston.rr.com>...

[A. Eason]

It's only dangerous if you like to live in clean, fresh, dull,
cookie-cutter suburbia. Otherwise, it's a great part of town.

vonroach <vonr...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<c7urqu0eemtt07tab...@4ax.com>...

[Hane]

"A. Eason" <aliss...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8c46090a.02101...@posting.google.com...

> Mandolas is on the corner of Cullen and Leland and it is still there;
> it is only open for lunch.
> Ballatore's closed about 4 or 5 years ago, after the owner died and
> the children decided not to continue the business. The building was
> the old Tellepsen Bank Building. It is now a City of Houston
> building.

I couldn't remember what it became until you said that. It's still a
fine looking building. When I lived in the neighborhood it was East End
State Bank. Was Tellepsen before that or after? There was so much
Tellepson stuff there when I lived there.

h-
pretty near older than dirt

[kerr]

> There is also Fiesta Loma Linda on Telephone (nearer to I-45).

Yikes. I ate there about 8-9 years ago and I still remember how bad it was.
Kerr.

[vonroach]

On 17 Oct 2002 13:01:53 -0700, aliss...@hotmail.com (A. Eason)
wrote:

>It's only dangerous if you like to live in clean, fresh, dull,
>cookie-cutter suburbia. Otherwise, it's a great part of town.

The comparison was strictly made to the exact same area 20 or more
years ago. Where is this `suburbia' to which you refer?

[Rickc]

Not exactly on the topic, but does on anyone remember Oggero's on S. Main,
also on Bellfort @ Mykawa in SE Houston(back when that was the "south
edge" of town)? I worked there as a busboy and a pizza cook as a kid(also
learned how to shuck oysters there), and got to work with and meet some
awesome people including Mitzi Gaynor, Dale Robertson, John Mecom Jr., Billy
Cannon (his Heismann was on display there for years), and it was one of the
Oilers' "team" restaurants back in the days of Blanda, Tolar, Talamini,
Jacky Lee, Jim Norton, etc.
I would love to contact some of the old employees if any are left around. It
actually was a GREAT restaurant too (long before they got "good" in 1980?),
and I remember eating fantastic manicotti, scallopini, lasagna, shrimp pizza
(some days we'd get there early and take the pizza shell's and cover them
with cinnamon, butter and sugar and bake'em for breakfast!). And although I
am not too proud of it now, I had my first taste of wine at about the age of
13 out back with another busboy who took a bottle out back and stashed it in
the dumpster. There were two brothers that owned the Bellfort store (their
folks owned the one on S.Main, (I think?), named Bat (short for Batese), and
Steve, who was killed in a "hunting accident"(there were lots of questions
and rumors about who all the brothers were dealing with, makes me wonder
with the Oilers' connection of that jerk Bud had anything to do with it
hehe), and it seems that it wasn't too long afterwards that the restaurant
folded. It seems like I remember they were friends/kin with lots of other
Houston Italian families in S.Houston (Mt. Carmel Cath. Church/HS, anyone
remember the Sat. nite dances?) in
those days, including the Tamborellos, Buteras, Matrangas, Longorias, etc.
Anyway, enough reminiscing, I better get back to work.

rickc

"kerr" <rke...@houston.rr.kom> wrote in message
news:Kfpr9.143653$Fw2.4...@twister.austin.rr.com...

[vonroach]

On Mon, 21 Oct 2002 16:01:07 GMT, "Rickc" <ri...@ghg.net> wrote:

>
>Not exactly on the topic, but does on anyone remember Oggero's on S. Main,
>also on Bellfort @ Mykawa in SE Houston(back when that was the "south
>edge" of town)? I worked there as a busboy and a pizza cook as a kid(also
>learned how to shuck oysters there), and got to work with and meet some
>awesome people including Mitzi Gaynor, Dale Robertson, John Mecom Jr., Billy
>Cannon (his Heismann was on display there for years), and it was one of the
>Oilers' "team" restaurants back in the days of Blanda, Tolar, Talamini,
>Jacky Lee, Jim Norton, etc.

Yes, ate there a few times until the neighborhood got too rough. I'd
say it was fair but no really in competition with Matranga;s. About
that time there were several Italian restaurants around the Shamrock.
The oilers were more frequently seen a Capt. Benny's or the little
Italian place that was located on Fannin beyond Braeswood near the
practice field (as well as a spate of lounges in the area and on S.
Main).

>I would love to contact some of the old employees if any are left around. It
>actually was a GREAT restaurant too (long before they got "good" in 1980?),
>and I remember eating fantastic manicotti, scallopini, lasagna, shrimp pizza
>(some days we'd get there early and take the pizza shell's and cover them
>with cinnamon, butter and sugar and bake'em for breakfast!). And although I
>am not too proud of it now, I had my first taste of wine at about the age of
>13 out back with another busboy who took a bottle out back and stashed it in
>the dumpster. There were two brothers that owned the Bellfort store (their
>folks owned the one on S.Main, (I think?), named Bat (short for Batese), and
>Steve, who was killed in a "hunting accident"(there were lots of questions
>and rumors about who all the brothers were dealing with, makes me wonder
>with the Oilers' connection of that jerk Bud had anything to do with it
>hehe), and it seems that it wasn't too long afterwards that the restaurant
>folded. It seems like I remember they were friends/kin with lots of other
>Houston Italian families in S.Houston (Mt. Carmel Cath. Church/HS, anyone
>remember the Sat. nite dances?) in
>those days, including the Tamborellos, Buteras, Matrangas, Longorias, etc.
>Anyway, enough reminiscing, I better get back to work.

Can't say I do. There was an old dance hall over Darcy's candy store
where name bands entertained on South Main.

[vonroach]

On Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:30:06 GMT, vonroach <vonr...@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>>Not exactly on the topic, but does on anyone remember Oggero's on S. Main,
>>also on Bellfort @ Mykawa in SE Houston(back when that was the "south
>>edge" of town)? I worked there as a busboy and a pizza cook as a kid(also
>>learned how to shuck oysters there), and got to work with and meet some
>>awesome people including Mitzi Gaynor, Dale Robertson, John Mecom Jr., Billy
>>Cannon (his Heismann was on display there for years), and it was one of the
>>Oilers' "team" restaurants back in the days of Blanda, Tolar, Talamini,
>>Jacky Lee, Jim Norton, etc.
>
>Yes, ate there a few times until the neighborhood got too rough. I'd
>say it was fair but no really in competition with Matranga;s. About
>that time there were several Italian restaurants around the Shamrock.
>The oilers were more frequently seen a Capt. Benny's or the little
>Italian place that was located on Fannin beyond Braeswood near the
>practice field (as well as a spate of lounges in the area and on S.
>Main).

Addendum: I ate at the one on Bellfort at Mykawa.

[Adeengo]

I used to eat at Vallian's on South Main. Also memorable are Elliot's
Steakhouse, Youngblood's Chicken, and Christie's Seafood.

[vonroach]

On 4 Nov 2002 07:01:04 -0800, ade...@yahoo.com (Adeengo) wrote:

>I used to eat at Vallian's on South Main. Also memorable are Elliot's
>Steakhouse, Youngblood's Chicken, and Christie's Seafood.

Kelly's and a little later Elliot's were good steak places. College
Inn served superb steaks. Elliot's out on S. Main later becane
Angelo's and then burned to the ground. Youngblood's was later, a
franchise chicken shack between where the College Inn once existed and
Bill Williams steak shack. None of course survive in that area today.

[Jack Tyler]

"Adeengo" <ade...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:258471c6.02110...@posting.google.com...

> I used to eat at Vallian's on South Main. Also memorable are Elliot's
> Steakhouse, Youngblood's Chicken, and Christie's Seafood.

Of all those, only Christies still exists.... but on Westheimer at
Greenridge.

Jack Tyler

[jinnaan...@msn.com]

I remember Eliot's from a young age. As a firstborn only child I was given shrimp cocktail and a filet mignon. It was the best! Eliot's was in the middle of a field of derricks; it was very surreal. How I loved this.

[Jack Tyler]

At the one you are talking about, we used to eat at the table in the vault.

[rober...@gmail.com]

Joe matrangas

[rober...@gmail.com]

It was on irvington

[rober...@gmail.com]

Does anyone know what happend to the matrangas and where they might be

[onn...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, October 16, 2002 at 9:33:30 AM UTC-5, Lana Rosanna Dana wrote:
> There used to be an Italian restaurant east of downtown (somewhere
> between downtown and north side of the University of Houston). I cannot
> remember the name or location but it had been in business for many years.
>
> I cannot find it listed in any restaurant guide -- they all seem to have
> shrunk as far as the east side of town is concerned. I wonder if it is
> our of business. Does anyone know anything about this restaurant?
>
> Anyone know of any other older, privately owned restaurants, entres $10
> - $16, suitable for a nostalgia birthdaya event?
>
> Lana

Try the sacred heart spaghetti thursedays only 816 E Whitney St, Houston, TX 77022 i hear its damn near the same

[wramir...@gmail.com]

On irvington between patton and collingsworth

[wramir...@gmail.com]

I saw marvin zinnler 13 news there several times eating there

[graziabal...@gmail.com]

Ballatori Italian Restaurant 4215 Leeland It was sold to the city of Houston 😋

[raulga...@gmail.com]

I use to be a busboy many good memories

[lcr8...@gmail.com]

Pinos. Was it on the corner of Cullen and Elgin. Best cannelloni ever. I long for it.

[dpal...@sbcglobal.net]

It was called Ballatoris. My wife and I went there after our courthouse wedding ceremony. Years later I appraised the property as the city of Houston was acquiring the property for a parking lot. I met the owners son, Luigi, who had moved to Colorado. He had lived above the restaurant as a kid / young man and graduated from UofH. Nice guy.

[sfed...@gmail.com]

No matranga's was on irvington and collingsworth,next to Molina's. I remember buying something from the place where Fulton and Irvington meet, but I can't remember what. It wasn't a restaurant.

[carri...@gmail.com]

Correct it was Matranga's I use work at the Molina's as a busboy.
Remember going there to buy ice from them when the resturant ice machine was broken.