Mark Buscanera Mark Buscanera Is The New Owner Of Mark Antony's, an Italian restaurant that will replace Patty's Place, a popular Wiscasset restaurant. Standing beside him is Head Cook Maryanne Seredynski. (Photo Ryan Thompson)

"I had a discussion with Patty about the sale of her business, and with Sonny and Carolyn Soule, who owned the building," said Buscanera.

"We're looking at finishing the set up by January 22, with a week of practice after that," says the newly hired Head Cook Maryanne Seredynski.

Buscanera, the owner of what will soon be Mark Antony's, said it will be a family run business specializing in Italian cooking. He will manage, cook, and work in the restaurant along with his wife Debi, daughter Giana and son Nicholas.

"We're doing something totally different with Patty's Place," said Buscanera.

He says Mark Antony's will have an Italian themed dcor along with the old fashioned Italian cuisine. Mark Antony's will also feature a restructured menu, live entertainment on the weekends, and a small bar.

"I'm very interested in good Italian food and supplying the area with an authentic Italian restaurant," he said.

Buscanera has experience running such restaurants. Years ago he ran Porrotta's Italian Bar, a Boston area restaurant which specialized in pizza and other Italian foods.

He also runs his own cleaning business, Kingdom Cleaning, which he will keep running along with Mark Antony's.

Buscanera says he is looking into a variety of acts from a musician singing Italian music, to someone playing the accordion or guitar.

"It will be in the theme of a cozy atmosphere; it might be Italian but it might also be some mild type music."

Buscanera says he hopes the regulars of Patty's Place will give him a try. "We're very interested in pleasing previous customers of Patty's Place and to carry on her tradition.

"There are a lot of people who have come in for many years: my advice to them is to give us a try, we're out to make them happy," he said.

One of the ways he says he will try to keep his costumers happy is to keep one staple of Patty's Place, the prime rib, on the menu.

"Some of the foods can be made to order for the customers if they don't like spicy foods: we can change things a bit for them," said Buscanera.

He says he wants to carry on Patty's tradition of good food at reasonable prices. "We would like to have three things: excellent service, an excellent atmosphere and excellent food. That's the recipe for the restaurant."

Another person who says she believes in this motto is Seredynski.

"We both have similar philosophies on food: about using fresh ingredients, having a friendly atmosphere and a nice but casual welcoming."

She also has similar experience working in busy restaurants in a large city. She has four years' experience working at Jo & J and Mercer Kitchen in New York City.

She says these restaurants, called French fusion restaurants, use elements of French food and other types of cuisine. Although she specialized in French cooking and has spent the last two years as a pastry chief, Seredynski says she is eager to try her hand at cooking authentic Italian food.

"I realized that Italian cooking is not in my background but thought I'd give it a shot," she said.

Seredynski attended the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. There were two separate programs that spanned her two and a half year education.

She learned cooking, the culinary arts and how to prepare pastries. With her education, and previous restaurant experience, she says she will be ready.

Seredynski says she can't wait to start cooking. "I'm excited; I have a beautiful kitchen to work in. It's going to be great," Seredynski added.

She says Mark Antony's will have a look that is well suited to the restaurant. "It's definitely elegant and beautiful," Seredynski says the dcor will add to the overall eating experience.

"I think the atmosphere makes the food taste better."

"I think Wiscasset needs something like Mark Antony's. This will be a nice addition to Wiscasset," Seredynski said.