A famous Italian chain restaurant touts "When you're here, you're family."

However two Cheap Eats dinner gems at Ilio DiPaolo's (a real family) make this local alternative a better bargain with great food, a nice setting and superb DiPaolo's service.

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                       Ilio DiPaolo's

                 (4 out of four pennies; food is 3 and a half  but the service kicks it up another half penny)

               "Cheap Eats heaven!"

                   3785 South Park Ave., Blasdell (825-3675, www.iliodipaolos.com)

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The midweek Wednesday Family Night (aka Create Your Own Plate) at $10.99 sounded awfully good on a variety of levels, starting with 1) no cooking for us and 2) it came with soup or salad plus a pile of fresh Italian bread and sumptuous seasoned dipping sauce.

Served from 3 to 9 p.m., there are an astounding number of choices, starting with your "primi" or first course choice -- minestrone, soup of the day, a Caesar or a house salad.

The all-romaine Caesar came with a nice tangy dressing, croutons and plenty of grated cheese. The house salad (lettuces, garbanzos, tomato, cucumber and cheese) came with the house Italian dressing we love.

The minestrone was a delicate (not salty)tomatoey broth laden with vegetables, beans (white and kidney) and classic ditalini pasta. Another winner.

Now the fun -- mixing and matching your dinner plate -- one house specialty, a pasta and a side -- in any combination.

House specialties include Eggplant Parmigiana, Boneless Grilled Pork Tuscano, Chicken Picatta, Marinated Grilled Chicken or Chicken Marsala. Add spaghetti, rigatoni, linguini, angel hair or whole wheat penne with any sauce (house, meat, marinara or alfredo) then tack on a side -- broccoli, Italian green beans, sauteed mushrooms, marinated artichoke hearts, two meatballs or two Italian sausages -- and call it dinner.

Decisions, decisions. What combination did we chow? Chicken Picatta, linguine with alfredo sauce and Italian green beans; Eggplant Parm, rigatoni with house sauce and meatballs; Grilled Pork, whole wheat penne with marinara and mushrooms; Chicken Marsala, angel hair with meat sauce and artichokes.

Understandably, the meat portions are smaller, but considering the large oval plate had a pile of pasta and vegetables, it was plenty. And the Italian tastes are right-on: house, meat and marinara sauces are distinctly different, not too sweet or acidic. The alfredo sauce was light, not gluey.

The Chicken Picatta was as lemony as it should be, while Chicken Marsala was sweet but not cloying. The Italian seasoned grilled pork (a little drier because it's leaner) was darned tasty, and breaded eggplant discs came with a healthy cap of melted cheese.

Excluding drinks and tip, each dinner with tax came to about $11.95 (and leftover lunch pasta).

The Early Bird Dinner for Two is also fab, especially on Tuesdays when it extends until 9 p.m. and comes with a complimentary glass of house wine. It's offered (sans wine) 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays and 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. For a measly $21.99, two diners each get a soup, a salad and dinner, plus coffee, tea or pop. Similar items (Eggplant Parm, Tuscan Pork, Chicken Marsala) are offered but so are new ones -- Tortellini Alfredo, Gnocchi, Cheese Ravioli and Chicken Parmesan.

DiPaolo's could only feed us cheaper in their home.

Dinner, starting at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. Sunday. Lunch is 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.