Thought I took a wrong turn and ended up in Little Italy!!!
Where to start?
I am picky... no, I mean PICKY!!! I have been in foodservice for over 20 years. I have worked in some of the best places you can imagine. If you tell me the food is amazing, I have high hopes. Most places disappoint me. This place is not one of them.
I had heard many good things about this place. Many of my friends have raved about it. But I still went there skeptical. I will now apologize to Francesco's staff in advance.
Upon first entering with my wife, kids, and her best friend, what I saw was your typical pizza joint. Basic tables, tile, ovens, etc. Then I saw a hostess at a podium. She led us into another side of the place. I was not expecting what I saw. It was wonderful. Awnings over a few of the tables. Subtle black-lights coming from the top of false drop-beams, adding a touch of intimacy to it all. And not so many tables that you feel lost in the shuffle.
We were greated IMMEDIATELY by our server, Tristan. After taking our drink orders, and promptly returning with them, he read, no, RECITED to us the specials. And in detail. We told him we needed a few minutes to decide, but can you answer a few questions for us? I must say, he knew everything about whatever we asked.
We decided on doing a family-style meal, and we told him to bring it out as it came from the kitchen. We figured out later that he had timed the food so it was one course at a time, which was much better.
First off, at his recommendation, we ordered the Portobello Sorrento Appetizer. It was 2 caps, grilled, with thin sliced ham and tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese melted on top, served with a light, zesty red sauce. Wonderful. Nothing too strong or overpowering. And not steaming hot where you risk burning your mouth and not tasting anything the rest of the night. My only comment, it would have been better with a Roma or a Plum tomato. Better... as it was already great. It is the perfect starter for 2 people. For this large group, it was a nice morsel to wet the palette.
Next came the Calamari. Rings and tentacles, which produced mixed comments from the table. I like them that way, so I was pleased. I am sorry to say, this one was good, not great. The coating was a bit too dark, carrying flavor from the deep fryer. It was cooked properly, not chewy in the least. And they served it with lemon wedges, as most places fail to do. I would order it again, every once in awhile. However, if the breading issue gets fixed, I would get every time I came in.
At this point in time, I HAVE to mention something. The busboy came over and brought us some bread in a basket. No, I must clarify. It was garlic knots with a light dusting of sesame seeds, and some sort of hybrid between pizza dough and focaccia. Who cares... it was amazing. And the olive oil with a dash of toasted garlic that accompanied it was a pleasent touch.
3rd course: A Sicilian Pie (pizza for the non NY-NJ folks). Wow. I mean, WOW!!! I have never, EVER, had one better. And I eat sicilian about 90% of the time. This was awesome. A perfect blend of puffiness and density. Just the right amount of crust. I prefer a sweeter sauce, but a 99 out of 100 for this pie made me temporarily forget all other sicilian pizza. I could eat this 7 days a week and not be sick of it for at least a few years. Only comment: we ordered it with sausage, and the peanut gallery said there was not enough of it.
4th course: Another pizza, but this one had a twist. It was a Veal Marsala Pizza. No red sauce here. This had Veal, Mushrooms, Marsala Sauce, and Mozzerella cheese. Another bullseye. Even my wife really liked it, and she HATES marsala. This one was like lead. It was hard to eat more then a few peices. I was glad I had asked them to cut it into 16. This one was good as leftovers for a few days, but it is an every once in awhile thing. At $35.00 dollars (a decent price for all the veal they piled on it and the 20" deep dish size), it is not in my everyday budget. Good for a family of 4. VERY filling.
Next up, the pastas. Gnocchi Alfredo ($14.95) and Penne Vodka with Sausage ($11.95 plus... never figured out the sausage cost), both ala carte. I was a bit disappointed on 2 parts. First, at that price, and the serving size, they should have come with soup, salad, or a small dessert. 2nd, the flavors did not blow my mind like the rest. Now, they were not bad. In fact, they were good in their own right. But not to my liking. The Vodka sauce was way too red and tart, and the Gnocci were a tad bit overcooked, with the alfredo not creamy enough. Also, the Gnocci, being overcooked, let the flavor into the sauce, not the other way around. For those that like Italian, they are good. For those that are Italian chefs, they were a 50 out of 100.
My son ordered a Shrimp Parmesian submarine sandwich. Of course, I had to take my "Dad Tax". Until I bit it, I thought they had brought him chicken. That is how much shrimp there was. And it was really good. (Side note, I am from Middlesex County, NJ. There, the pizza joints all make great pizza and subs. SInce coming to southern Ocean County, I have been hard pressed to find a sub even palatable).
The bread was just warmed with a light toastiness to it. Not too much sauce, where the roll falls apart. Enough cheese that it stretches from your mouth when you bite it. Taste, visuals, smell, all brought me back to where I grew up. It made me want to venture down the sub menu in my following visits.
Now for the best part... DESSERT!!! Again with the family style thing.
I'll start with the best. Creme Brulée. Light yet solid, with the sugar torched properly. One of the best I have ever tasted. I almost ordered another one.
Bourbon Pecan Pie. Let me say, I DO NOT LIKE pecan pie. There was not a crumb left on the plate. The flavor is indescribable. The pecans were so soft, and the filling yeilded such a matrix of flavors that my mouth was suprised every step of the way.
The cannoli. Nothing special. The only highlight that stands out in my mind was the homemade taste. It was a nice touch. But it was a cannoli. Nothing more, nothing less.
The cheesecake. A bit too citrusy. Even my 8 year old noticed it. The texture was perfect. The crust had the right balance of butter and sugar. But the orange was just too pronounced.
The only thing about dessert I did not enjoy at all was the cappuccino. Another server brought it to me and it was lukewarm. I like it just made and steaming. I am sure it would have been fine hot, but I can not say for sure as I did not experiene it that way.
Overall, this place really impressed me. The service was right on. The food surprised me each step of the way. The ambiance brought it all together and made the experience all the more enjoyable. This is a place I would go to over and over. And that is the one thing you will RARELY EVER read in one MY REVIEWS, due to being disappointed on a regular basis.
If you want to see what Italian food should be, or if you already know and are frustrated by not being able to find it in the area, try it. You'll be hooked.    [23 Feb 2006 22:02:14]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: The Sicilian Pizza, Creme BruIée, & Bourbon Pecan Pie.

     ­MikeSquared