Manganaro's Hero Boy

Italian staples and monster sandwiches / $

492 9th Ave. between W. 37th-38th Sts.
A, E trains to 34th St. and 8th Ave.
(212) 947-7325, fax 714-2003
www.manganarosheroboy.net

Mon-Fri 9 AM-7:30 PM,
Sat 10 AM-7:30 PM, Sun 11 AM-6 PM
Counter service, takeout & delivery available
Visa, MC, AmEx

The home of the six-foot hero—it'll set party guests agape—is one of two adjacent and notoriously battling restaurants both named Manganaro's. This one mixes traditional Italian food with hearty American portions. The veal parm sandwich is a fine specimen, but meat eaters will also savor the lasagna, impregnated with sausage and very substantial. For a lighter meal, the spaghetti marinara is perfect, ravioli with mushroom sauce is pleasing, and cheese-laced rice balls go well with any entree. This is a kinder, gentler Hero Boy than the one we first knew, back when you had to push through the crowd of raucous truck drivers at the counter and demand attention. Now an orderly line guides shy persons like ourselves through a steel-railed self-serve process and more tables are spread over a larger space.

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