La Lanterna

La Lanterna is the name of a centuries-old lighthouse that stands at the ancient seaport of Genoa, Italy. Located several thousand miles west, La Lanterna Pizza, Pasta & Hoagies - at 392 Medford Lakes Road in Tabernacle - is no lighthouse, of course. But if you`d like to experience a beacon of authentic Italian cooking in the wilds of northeast Burlington County, this is the place to go.

Before leaving Italy 25 years ago, owner Marco Schiano worked in restaurants in Rome for over 11 years. After arriving here, Schiano started his career in the food industry at a restaurant on Philadelphia`s South Street. He hasn`t stopped since.

On a recent visit, with a whole tempting menu from which to choose, I selected the Chicken Cheese Steak ($5.15). After waiting for what seemed like only a few minutes, my sandwich arrived. Nestled in a fresh, large Italian roll were steak, chicken, provolone, lettuce and tomatoes. It was great to look at, but I didn`t let its good looks get in the way of my appetite. It tasted wonderful, too.

Also on the menu at La Lanterna Pizza, Pasta and Hoagies is exactly what you`d expect from its name. But there`s a lot more. Like steak sandwiches, hot subs, burgers, pan pizza, white pizza, appetizers, soups, strombolis, calzones, sausage rolls, antipasto, salads and mozzarella sticks.

On top of all that, La Lanterna features a number of outstanding pasta, veal, chicken, seafood and baked dishes. These include such customer favorites as Seafood La Lanterna ($14.99), Fresh Shrimp Parmigiana ($11.95), Chicken Marsala ($10.95), Veal Scallopini Pizzaiola with Mushrooms and Marinara Sauce ($11.95), Stuffed Eggplant with Spaghetti ($8.95) and Ravioli ($7.95), among many others. Catering is also available.

La Lanterna Pizza, Pasta & Hoagies 392 Medford Lakes Rd Tabernacle Phone 268-2100 Fax 268-6204

Hours Monday - Thursday: 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 10:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sunday: 12 Noon - 10:00 p.m.

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Author: Bob Ford