I keep a running  must-dine list of places I still need to try in the city, whether it’s for dinner, dessert, a cup of coffee or to pick up some bread. There’s a lot more places I know we need to get to, and I’m slowly eating my way through the list (though it seems like each week I add someplace new).

I can now cross off La Campagna, the tiny Italian family-run restaurant tucked into a nondescriptstrip mall in Westlake. I first heard about it through readers and was given the opportunity to review for Metromix.

Here’s part my review:

Hidden inside a strip plaza only identified by the Italian and American flags that fly above the front door is a family-run Italian restaurant that’s been quietly dishing up big flavors since 1996. The small, gourmet gift basket shop turned restaurant is the retirement dream of Carmella Fragassi, a self-taught chef who learned how to cook from her family. La Campagna is part of Fragassi’s retirement plan. Prior to manning her own kitchen, she spent 20 years as an undercover narcotics agent for Lorain County.

Food: There is no menu at La Campagna. Instead, Fragassi cooks to order a handful of items based on what’s in season and available from several of the local farmers she’s forged relationships with. On any given day, there are a handful of appetizers and five to 10 entrées, plus dessert. Dinners are served with a choice of soup or salad. And because everything is made to order and in-house (the only item prepared ahead of time is the marinara sauce), expect to wait approximately 30-45 minutes or more for your meal. Diners, many regulars, don’t seem to notice though—or mind. 

On our visit, we started with an order of sweet peppers ($7.99). For entrées, we tried the eggplant parmesan with a side of angel hair pasta with marinara sauce ($16.99) and rotolo with a butter sage sauce ($16.99). The peppers were lightly grilled with a little olive oil and salt. Simply prepared and quite tasty. The eggplant, a house specialty and the only dish that’s routinely offered, was a perfect representation of a classic family recipe that’s been passed down. Super thin, crispy slices of eggplant pile atop each other with a little breading and lightly sauced. It was not too heavy and quite enjoyable. The beautifully crafted rotolo (rolled with spinach, ricotta and squash), was delightful—every last bite.

Libations: La Campagna only has a tasting liquor license. There are a handful of craft beers and wine available. If you’re in the mood for wine, you’re encouraged to walk the space and grab a bottle from the nice selection of Italian and American wines (like the food, the wine changes often). Servers can offer you a taste (about a 2.5-ounce pour) of your desired wine, or you can purchase the bottle. However, the bottle can’t sit on the table (your server will retrieve it for you when you’re ready for more). We tried a bottle of Trouve from Via Vecchia ($24), a blend of cabernet, merlot and cabernet franc from Powell.

Décor: The décor leaves much to be desired. The space is still very much retail-focused and seats only about 25 for dinner. Baskets, wine and other goods for sale outline the space. It’s small and charming in its own way, and while not necessarily the most appealing restaurant décor, it seems to work for them.

Insider tip: If you’re craving something in particular, be sure to call the restaurant a few days in advance of your reservation. Fragrassi will try to make it for you. And if the night’s specials aren’t enough to tempt you, she’ll whip something else up as long as the ingredients are on hand.