FASCINO

[Rosie]

CONGRATULATIONS TO FASCINO on the EXCELLENT review by David Corcoran in the New York Times.

[Hank]

Right on Tommy. The stemware is wonderful as is the restaurant and it does behoove you to go. Stemware was a major complaint of mine for a long time and I did solve it by bringing my own. At one point I thought it was silly but when I had to pour a fine wine into a thimble sized glass I realized it was not so silly at all. I cannot for the life of me understand why the more upscale restaurants can't serve decent glasses. I don't mean Riedels but there are certainly excellent choices for around $3.00 wholesale. What is your take?

[tommy]

I don't mean Riedels but there are certainly excellent choices for around $3.00 wholesale. What is your take?

i'm with ya. i should dig up that old thread on BYOG. ok, i just did. it didn't seem to get off the ground.

but yeah, i don't know why restaurants don't provide decent stemware. it should be standard. however, since it's not, it's one of those things that makes me remember and respect a restaurant. the restaurants who don't care enough to spend the extra coupla bucks on decent stemware are making it real easy for their competitors to shine. their loss, on many levels.

[Hank]

Thanks Rosie for reporting that Fascino was reviewed in this weeks NYT. I am thrilled that Mr. Corcoran gave it such a glowing review, as I did also. They absolutely deserve it and if , after reading the article if any eGullet members still don't go you are, IMHO, making a big mistake. Yes, this is serious food.

I know this will make some people very angry but I am tired and very uninterested in reading posts about pizzas and red sauces and diner food. They have their place, for sure, but not on a serious food site and I know some people who have left for that very reason.

[tommy]

and we have no time for people with such low tolerance to diversity.

[bbqbrisket]

I read the paper today on this restaurant.....what's up with it?

EDIT: Merged by JHP

Edited December 13, 2003 by Jason Perlow (log)

[glenn]

and we have no time for people with such low tolerance to diversity.

Look who's calling the kettle black. :-))

I know I should ask this elsewhere or in another thread, but while we're talking about stemware, I'll embarrass myself by asking a stooopid question. I need decent wine glasses for the house. We don't drink much wine at home, that's why I never bothered. But on the ocassions I do, I'd like something different. Is there such a thing as a good quality all purpose red/white wine glass?

[tommy]

I know I should ask this elsewhere or in another thread, but while we're talking about stemware, I'll embarrass myself by asking a stooopid question. I need decent wine glasses for the house. We don't drink much wine at home, that's why I never bothered. But on the ocassions I do, I'd like something different. Is there such a thing as a good quality all purpose red/white wine glass?

start a new thread, silly. or search one "wine glasses".

the short answer is: you should have both red and white glasses. bloomingdales and william sonoma have decent enough stemware at decent enough prices (although you can surely find them for less elsewhere).

[Rosie]

I read the paper today on this restaurant.....what's up with it?

EDIT: Merged by JHP

It's an excellent restaurant. Not sure what info you are looking for.

[Hank]

Tommy, I do agree with your statement about low tolerence and diversity but should we not be looking at WHY quite a few very good members of this site have been lost to go to other sites and try to address what has turned them off. Personally I don't believe that most members are really too interested in pizza parlors, red sauce joints, diners and etc. There are too many fairly new and serious restaurants that should be discussed on this site and I for one believe that we should concentrate on them. Gertrude Stein would have said it very well. "A diner is a diner is a diner".

[tommy]

hank, if people aren't interested in red sauce threads, there are plenty of others to read. and yes, a few of them discuss "serious" food.

[adegiulio]

To the Depersio family, congratulations on yet another glowing review. The only problem is now reservations will be even more difficult!!

Couldn't have happened to a better restaurant. I've said it before and say it again, Please Don't Change!!

Anthony

[Hank]

Why is it that the moment we don't agree with or like something we are called snobs?

[fascino]

Thanks for all the support...It's been crazy around here.....

[Rosie]

Ryan will be demonstrating ham dishes & a variety of holiday presentations for ham this Friday, December 19th, on Fox 5's "Good Day NY" sometime between 8-9 am.

Ryan--be sure to give us the inside details about your TV appearance.

[tommy]

yeah, great. and they didn't have room for me tonite at the last minute.

maybe next week.

Edited December 18, 2003 by tommy (log)

[adegiulio]

Sorry Tommy, there was a table of four that just wouldn't leave!! Oh wait, that was me. We ate at Fascino again last night for my mothers birthday. And of course everything was terrific.

Anthony

[fascino]

hehe, It's a good thing I didn't sit Tommy after you.....

sorry I couldn't get you in Tommy...This NYT review has really made reservations crazy. Hope to see you next week....

[adegiulio]

Fascino was mentioned again by the NY Times Sunday paper, in their NJ section. It was one of three restaurants listed as "excellent". This time it was right on the front page, so even casual newspaper flippers would see it.

Anthony, you are going to have a ton of messages this time...

I'd like the next available reservation please, I guess some time in April

Anthony

[fascino]

I stopped picking up the phone...we are closed for a week

Went to Bouley last night....

Outrageous.....one of the best meals of my life....

[tommy]

wrap-up of an egullet-type dinner in this thread.

Edited February 28, 2004 by tommy (log)

[Rosie]

Very good story about Fascino by Eric Levin in the Montclair Times.

Click here http://www.montclairtimes.com/page.php?page=7172

[Hank]

Last night our foodie friends from Manhattan joined us for dinner at Fascino. They drove 25 minutes to our house and then I drove for 40 minutes to the restaurant. Their reaction? Henry, when are we going back? What absolutely wonderful food and ambiance. One bummer. My 1978 Ceretto Barbaresco was badly corked. Fortunately the 1978 Barolo Brunate, again by Ceretto, and my backup was magnificent. While reading the menu we ate the most addictive finger food known to man. The fried polenta sticks. Rosie, I did ask Anthony if you were in the rest. as I would have sent a plate to your table. I understand that you have a bit of a lust for them and I can understand why. Everything we had, ravioli stuffed with rabbit, salads, fish and veal dishes were expertly prepared and beautifully presented and served. We ended with terrific deserts that are prepared by Anthony and Ryan's mother. I tease her that she looks more like she could be their sister, and truthfully, she could absolutely be their sister. (Hopefully she reads this and I might get an extra desert next time.) Lovely lady. My wife and I have been to Fascino 7 times now and all I can say about it is that it just gets better and better. As Anthonthy advised, just don't come on a weekend. I am happy to spend all my Tuesdays and Wednesdays there.

[tommy]

it's simply one of the best restaurants in northern NJ. and even my wife commented on how young Cynthia looks. (i just kinda agreed, at the risk of coming across as inappropriate).

it's not just the food. they're hitting every mark. there's clearly a "family run" vibe, and even the servers, who don't seem to be related, come across as people who are really interested in you having a great meal and an enjoyable experience. i recall my first visit when the waiter asked if we wanted fresh ground pepper (which doesn't happen enough imo): i said "only if you think the dish needs it", and he responded with "i think it's fine as it is". right on brutha. where's my fork.

[Hank]

Tommy, you got it wrong kid. It is only inappropriate when we DON'T tell the ladies how young and beautiful they look.

Edited March 19, 2004 by Hank (log)