No one walks away hungry at Buca di Beppo, Sacramento’s liveliest Italian restaurant, where monster-size dishes are just the beginning of an unforgettable dining experience.

The moment you walk into the neighborhood restaurant, located at 1249 Howe Ave., you immediately let loose and feel strangely comfortable, like you are in the company of close family and friends. The relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff are very reminiscent of dinner at Grandma?s house.

Before being seated, all guests are taken on a quick tour of the kitchen where you can catch a quick glimpse of what delicacies the restaurant has to offer. On our tour we were greeted by a fun-loving group sitting at the “kitchen table,”which could quite possibly be the best seat in the house, who insisted on sharing their calamari with complete strangers–but I suppose that when you are in Buca di Beppo, everyone is family.

Nearly every inch of wall space in the dining room is covered with framed photos, Italian scenes, strange statues and a plethora of unique memorabilia. The collections of garage-sale-finds complement the playful mood of the joint. I even spotted a family snapping photos of themselves and adding a Polaroid picture to the restaurant’s decor.

The sounds of Dean Martin and other Italian melodies completed the ambiance. We were seated in a large round booth where the table was complete with traditional checkered tablecloths. No menus were passed out; instead we stared at the large menu that was posted to the wall over our table.

At first glance, the dishes may seem a little pricey; however, the meals are served family-style at Buca di Beppo and are meant for sharing. So at first $18.95 may sound a bit extravagant for a large order of spaghetti and meatballs, but with two and a half pounds of pasta and three baseball-size meatballs, there is enough food to feed a small army.

Buca di Beppo specializes in hearty dishes from southern Italy like spaghetti marinara, chicken catticiatore and veal parmigiana. In Italain tradition, nearly all of Buca di Beppo recipes boast a rich garlic flavor.

We started with the fried calamari that came with a spicy marinara sauce for dipping. The tender little squid were prepared perfectly without too much batter, and plenty of flavor. There are many other interesting starters to choose from, including the prosciutto and gorgonzola salad and bruscetta, crispy slices of toasted bread, covered in a blend of fresh herbs and tomatoes.

An amazing chicken saltimbocca was one of the evening?s specials. It consisted of three chicken breasts, which were seasoned with sage and a lemon-butter sauce and then topped with slices of prosciutto ham and artichoke hearts.

As far as side dishes are concerned, I recommend trying the garlic mashed potatoes, complete with skins and all, and the green beans seasoned with olive oil and lemon.

At Buca di Beppo the dessert is a must. And yes, even those come in family size portions. We tried an enormous bowl of tiramisu; rum and espresso soaked ladyfingers layered with marscapone cheese and covered in cocoa. If cheesecake is more up your alley, try a gargantuan slice of Torta Formaggio con Raspberry. Spumoni ice cream and cannoli are also offered.

If you are looking for a quick bite to eat, skip Buca di Beppo; it is the kind of place where you should savor every moment and every morsel. Not to mention, reservations should be made in advance, although not required.

While all the food was great, the whole experience was something to remember. Buca di Beppo is the kind of place that you go to when you want to have a good time. With the kickback setting and the enormous dishes, the theme of the restaurant should be “the more the merrier.”