From Bob Dylan’s music to a quality espresso, Carlo’s list of favorite things proves that the Momo brothers really do have good taste

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Terra Momo Bread Company, Teresa Caffe, Mediterra, Eno Terra…these are a few of my favorite things, and I know I’m not alone in my list. You’d be hard pressed to find a Princetonian that objects to dining at one of Terra Momo Restaurant Group’s eateries. After all, who doesn’t appreciate fresh ingredients, inventive cuisine, and unmatched hospitality? There’s something special about eating pasta next to Teresa’s wood-fired oven, enjoying a glass of Chilean wine under the vaulted ceilings of Eno Terra, or being greeted by Franco’s thick Italian accent at Mediterra.

As soon as I received Carlo Momo’s list of ten favorite things, I uncovered what that “something” was that makes me and so many others gravitate towards the Terra Momo restaurants: authenticity. Carlo has managed to turn his favorite things into his career by infusing his love of food, family, and the arts into each of the Terra Momo restaurants. As a result, everything from the staff to the ingredients used in each dish is as authentic as the brothers behind the Momo name.

From his Bronx pride to his appreciation for deep thinkers, Carlo Azario Momo shares the things that shape him as a father, businessman, and leading figure in the Princeton community.

My Wife and Family

It sounds cliché but it’s true and I’m grateful for each of them, especially my beautiful, talented wife, who took on a lot when she married a man with three young children who had lost their mother. It hasn’t been easy but we’re as happy as the day we married and that says a lot.

Bob Dylan

You’re either a Dylan fan or you’re not and I have been most of my life. His songwriting bares a level of honesty that I find uncommon in the world.

Leonardo DaVinci

A master of invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography. Flying machines, plate tectonics, solar power, hydrodynamics…the world may never know a mind of his depth and breadth again.

Chile – My Father’s Birthplace

A country abound in mystery, geographical beauty and romance…

Italy – My Mother’s Birthplace

A country abound in mystery, geographical beauty, romance, culture, art, history, food, wine…

Parmigiano Reggiano

There are many great cheeses but none as noble as the King of all Granas.

Wine (In Vino Veritas)

My wife and youngest daughter, Anna, always joke that all I do at work is taste wines. Look, it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.

Espresso

A properly made cup of espresso is a rare find.

New York Yankees

When you grow up in the Bronx, you likely grow up a Yankee fan. I’m really looking forward to the day when my wife stops asking if they are a baseball or football team. Needless to say, she is not from the Bronx.

Mom’s Cooking