Leone’s, Springfield, MA USA

Ordered at Leone's an Italian institution in Springfield, Massachusetts, open for over 30 years.

3pm lunch… or was it dinner? After a red eye and a connection to get to Springfield, Massachusetts, I was just happy to be here with a large group of revelers in front of me, celebrating Rachel’s grandmother’s 95th birthday!

It was family reunion at its best, with members coming from all over the country. I had just landed from LA, and Rachel had just landed from Tokyo, with others coming from Maine, Georgia, Colorado, and more.

I couldn’t imagine a better way to ring in 95 years, and I hoped my life would have a similar event… if I was lucky enough to make it to 95!

We ended up at Leone’s, a classic local Italian institution of sorts that was very popular among those that lived in the surrounding areas, namely Longmeadow. Celebrating its 30 year anniversary, I knew we had chosen the perfect place to celebrate family style.

With all of my travel and lack of sleep, I needed an injection of energy that coffee alone could not provide… fortunately, their menu boasted a club sandwich, and I chose this wisely knowing each bite would provide the fuel I needed for many hours of family time.

A club sandwich with a beef patty. This was a first for me. But I defaulted to Leone’s, knowing after 30 years they must be doing something right!

And I quickly learned that Leone’s club sandwich was not something they did right, and might have been a new addition to their menu. Hearty, American-style Italian fare yes, club sandwiches with beef patties not so much.

Pretty bland favor all around, I didn’t really get it. I had hopes of a flattened meatball, but instead it was frozen patty fresh. What else could I say about this club sandwich? The thick layer of mayo on the bottom pretty much drowned out any other flavors that could have been present. This was a beefy letdown.

I loved literally everything about this meal, except my club sandwich. Fortunately, the family knew my passion well, and we laughed off the beef patty club while sharing stories and reminiscing. It was so great to be with everyone, celebrating Florence’s 95th birthday, that the quality of the club sandwich almost didn’t matter in the moment. Everyone was full of joy, Florence was full of smiles, and we were one big happy family.

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