"You don't develop a great restaurant overnight. Or a unique style of dining. It takes years of learning a fine tradi­tion. Then improving on it. There's an art to making people happy, and maybe that's why they keep coming back."

That's what it says on the front cover of their menu. Right under a family wedding portrait of the Panza family. A tradition in the Saratoga area for 65 years. A trip of sorts for most of our readers I would guess, but read on.

The annual Saratoga rac­ing season will find most of us visit­ing the historic track at least once and while you're there you should make a day of it. Capping it off with dinner afterwards at Panza's, and perhaps an exacta or two could be one of the highlights of your summer season.

This obviously Italian restaurant is about 7 miles out Union Avenue or 9P, or out Route 9 South to Route 9P in Malta. Sitting right across from historic Brown's Beach it has weathered the competition, location and changing times since 1938. Beginning as a small store, gasoline station and pizza parlor the Panza family: Ma Panza, Andrew and Elsie along with their siblings, have carved their own niche in local culinary history.

I would mention here that the entry foyer is like a museum of success. Letters from Senators, Assemblymen, and even a President or two, along with numerous revues extolling the virtues of the Panza family. The present structure, locat­ed right next to their home, was remodeled in 1986 and expanded with a banquet room and a very attractive large bar and dining room. They still serve pizza, son Mike Panza entertains in the bar area, and Andrew and Tony Panza are in the kitchen.

You go to any large social function in the city, or to a gathering at one of Saratoga's famous homes, it will be catered by Panza's. Many have fond memories, including myself, of great weddings and anniversaries right in their back banquet room.

Tonight "The Great Bubbsy" is in town. Not a magician but a world renowned horse enthusi­ast, beer connoisseur, and amateur chef. I was invited to meet him, vis­iting from Florida, Miss O.T.B. and Hotel Jack, along with Tiny Miss Fireworks, for dinner at Panza's.

Now, this crowd is tough to please. Miss Fireworks eats about a thimble of everything and Miss O.T.B. is on a very strange-sounding diet. Hotel Jack you can never pre­dict and Bubbsy is a great cook in his own right.

Upon arriving we shared one cocktail at the bar that takes up the whole front. We enjoyed some nice jazz music which was not over­bearing and floated through the room. I refused the house merlot for a nice glass of Jacob's Creek Merlot 2002, always a good choice. Bubbsy struck out with his favorite brand but any light beer will do, and Hotel Jack chose a glass of Chianti. You never know.

We were seated promptly in the very cozy dining room, linen table service, a wall rack filled with wine and a tree set with tiny lights. Nice, comfortable, class without the usual hanging grapes and photos of Italy. As luck would have it our waitress was Fannie. She is a fixture at Panza's all these years which I will guess is almost as long as the restaurant, because I remember her in 1954 when my family lived next door. Fond memories also of Elsie Panza, Andrew's wife, who always held down the front; smiling, friend­ly, ever pleasing. A former model, wonderful mother and loving wife who recently passed on.

Now, Fannie kisses Hotel Jack, hugs Miss Fireworks and tells her she blows her horn as she passes her house on the way to work every­day. Most people Fannie's age I would guess would have retired 20 years ago. She never misses a beat. Water is poured, menus in place, and two baskets of nice fresh Italian bread.

There are several specials including a roasted yellow bell pep­per soup, a fresh salad with Bleu cheese, walnuts and fresh peaches. The catch of the day is a blackened salmon filet, chicken a la Panza, and on Wednesday's and Thursdays Andrew's original brick oven pizza.

Andrew's touch runs throughout the menu, but even Ma Panza's great pork chops are still a headliner, along with a host of veal dishes, a steak au poivre, chicken Boursin and many interesting pasta dishes like seafood fra Diablo, rigatoni with crumbled sausage, and a Panza's sampler or rigatoni ala Michael, fettuccini alfredo and angel hah" pasta with pesto cream.

Though we passed up the appetizers there is a shrimp Alexander, grilled and rubbed with mustard and horseradish, wrapped in bacon; fried calamari, Bruschette and clam's casino.

Miss Fireworks, true to form, ordered only an appetizer for her main course, but it turned out to be a heaping bowl of lobster ravioli with a very light sun-dried tomato basil cream sauce. All of Panza's pasta are oversized and they manage to fill every inch.

Mr. Bubbsy, between checking on all the entries at Arlington Park, Belmont, Gulfstream and Delaware Park with Miss O.T.B., ordered shrimp Sorrento. Several jumbo shrimp topped with fried eggplant, Prosciutto and mozzarella cheese, and finished in a great butter white wine sauce. He rejoiced in his choice, much like hitting the daily double at Gulfstream.

Now, Miss O.T.B. is known to take a gamble on occasion and chose roast Long Island duckling that she raved about. A whole crisp critter sans all fat with a wonderful raspberry sauce.

Hotel Jack had a heaping mound of eggplant Parmagiana with a side of pasta. He was unable to fin­ish but made the very best of this marvelous-looking presentation.

Yours Truly began cup of the pepper soup. A very rich puree of a yellow bell pepper topped with some fresh basil pesto. Very hot and very good.

Fannie delivered me Ma Panza's chops. Two boneless chops, broiled and finished with homemade red vinegar peppers and glazed with balsamic syrup. They were moist, tender and thick, absolutely heaven for pork chop lovers.

Panza's salads are a fresh combo of mesclun greens. cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and red onions. No skimping here as well. Sides tonight were their signature potato au gratin and some fresh green beans

No room for desserts. although we were offered a fresh peach topped with Chianti with lemon fennel served with Cassis sor­bet. Too bad about that, almost like hitting the first half of a daily double only.

So, by now you know the nostalgia of Panza's goes far beyond the food and ambiance. It's the Panza family, past and present, it's Fannie and it's their commitment to always trying to improve.