We have such similar stories in moments
My 1st wife and I. When we were Dating. All our dinner lunch dates were at a lil mom & pop italian joint. "Vittorios Pizzaria" not only the best pizza ive ever eaten. The lasagna was like a form of art. Abd, same thing. Always a bittle of lambrusco. Unfortunately. Canoli wasnt anywhere to be found on the west coast. The closest great canoli was at las vegas- New York New york hotel has an italian deli theme section in their basement food court. Italian delis were everywhere on the range. And- the one in NY NY was even better than the ones in minning country.
For years, and i made many a trip to vegas. Darn near every meal i ate there was either in that deli. Or if elsewhere fonished off by walking over to ny and eating canoli & capucino for dessert. I dont think ive had a canoli since.

Vittorios did cheesecake or a biscotti/ lorraine plate with slices of fine aged marscapone. They occasionally rotated through the italian chocolate torte i cant name at the moment. But being in cali and all the fresh fruit! Alot of apricot, peach strawberry tortes through spring. Pear through fall. Winter the chocolate one. Dam it. Its a famous name! Lol brain fart.

Vittorios. Man how i long for a lasagne from the old man. Victor Vittorio. He passed away a few years before we moved. His son took over. Slowly over time. There was a hint if decline. Not huge. Little things. The sauce wasnt exact culinary perfection every time. The pizza crust didnt rise quite as high sometimes. Or the bottom crust wasnt both crisp & tender every time. Eventually the tortes disappeared off the menu along with the homemade cookie & imported cheese plate. The garlic bread remained excellent. The salads got a bit fancier too. Imported lambrusco trplaced with california wins. A few years after we keft for alaska. My wife went back to see her family. Vittorios oven hood i gues wasnt kept clean, caught fire. Took iut a few other businesses in the strip mall. It never reopened.

I had to look up that choc torte.it was killing me.
Tiramasu.
Got Google sucks since ai.