The beverage wall at Spagnuolo's, 662 W. Grand River Ave. in Okemos, is dominated by full bottles of red wine. The checkered tabletops are red and white and most of the sauces on the menu are red as well.
The abundance of red creates a soft feel, but more importantly, the color is appropriate for a restaurant that specializes in southern Italian cuisine.
"Calabrese cooking tends to use more red sauces than other regions," owner Amy Spagnuolo said.
Calabria is the southernmost region of mainland Italy. Geographically speaking, it is often referred to as the "toe" which appears to be kicking the island of Sicily.
The big difference between northern and southern cooking lies in the sauces, Amy Spagnuolo explained. Tomato-based sauces are prevalent in southern areas like Calabria, whereas white cream sauces are prepared more often in the north.
Spagnuolo's offers tomato-based dishes such as baked ziti, spedini pasta and a wide variety of pizzas.
Amy Spagnuolo's parents, Vincent and Silvahna, are both from Calabria and moved to Toronto with their families in the 1950s, where they met before moving to the Lansing area in 1962. They both learned to cook from their parents at very young ages. And according to Amy Spagnuolo, her mother is the backbone of the restaurant.
Even at 65, Silvahna Spagnuolo still prepares sauces and bakes bread daily, including focaccia flat bread that is served with each meal.
"I should be retired, but I'm not planning on it soon," she said. "I'm not a home person. Sitting and watching soap operas is not for me."
Instead Silvahna Spagnuolo chooses to come in during the mornings to bake 100 pounds of flour into bread. On the weekend she sometimes goes through 300 pounds.
The majority of the food preparation is handled by David Reynolds, who is not a Spagnuolo but might as well be. He has been working at the restaurant for 12 years, evolving from a busboy and dishwasher to a waiter to a line cook and finally to head cook.
Reynolds said he had "learned from the trenches" of food service and has developed his own cooking credo.
"Good cooking is about being aware and focusing on what's going on, while cooking as fast as possible without sacrificing quality," he said. "That's what I stress around here.
"I think people just want a nice atmosphere where they can sit down and eat and get on with their lives."
The family-owned and operated restaurant has been open since 1991. Vincent Spagnuolo, 68, said people have been coming back for the quiet setting, good conversation and food that Spagnuolo's offers.
"We cook everything from scratch. Nothing by the can," he said.
Owners: Spagnuolo family
Years running the business: 15
Prices: Pasta entrees range from $7 to $11. Pollo (chicken), pesce (fish) and carne (meat) entrees range from $9 to $14. 16-inch pizzas start at $11.
Hours: Spagnuolo's is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed Sunday.
