She was raised in Italy in a family that loved to cook. Her father ran restaurants in their homeland. But occasionally, Hera Ambrosio, co-owner of Casa Mia Italian restaurant, is stumped by a new customer asking for shrimp scampi or chicken Vesuvio.

“People ask me for dishes that I don’t know,” Ambrosio said in an energetic voice that flaunts an alluring Italian accent that laces her perfect English. Other popular Italian-inspired dishes that bug her: chicken and veal parmigiana. “The only parmigiana (dish) in Italy is eggplant.”