Most modern cuisine is a continuation of classic dishes, just as a computer is a slightly modified typewriter and a washing machine is a river in a box. Revel in palatable progress with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of Italian fare at Basil & Thyme Italian Bistro in Newark.

Chef-owner Benjamin Cruz, trained at The Oberoi Hotel Culinary Institute, peppers his modern Tuscan menu with hand-rolled pastas, fresh meats and seafood, and homemade herbed sauces. Embark on the edible expedition to Central Italy with the crispy avocado-and-sundried-tomato-stuffed egg rolls accompanied by a basil-artichoke sauce ($7). Noodle cravers can nibble the garlicky lobster ravioli ($17.50) or the mint pesto linguini sharing plate estate with fried eggplant and garbanzo in a basil-mint sauce ($11). The french rack of lamb ($19) coated in ginger-datenut-brandy sauce packs muscle-building protein, enabling diners to mold the Eiffel Tower into a beret with their bare hands. To keep meatballs from rolling off tables, the lunchtime meatball sandwich envelops the meaty morsels in a lightly toasted baguette ($7), and a selection of sweet-tooth sating Italian desserts creates a delectable finale to a bounteous meal.

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