By Margaret Kadifa

Longtime Houston restaurateur Frankie B. Mandola died Friday at age 68 from complications following a heart attack. A member of one of Houston's best-known restaurant families, Mandola helped bring Italian food to the Bayou City during his four-decade career.

Mandola, who is of Italian descent, was well-known for operating a string of successful Houston restaurants, but his greatest talent, his son said, was his customer service. Mandola knew his diners' names, faces and stories, said his son, Johnny B. Mandola. "He was definitely a presence walking through a room," he said. "He was loud, very loud, and very Italian."

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Source: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/