Ambiance
The fashionable Franco Ristorante, named for its owner, Franco Zuluaga, opened in May in the handsome half-timbered building that previously housed Capers. The restaurant is in the small shopping center adjacent to the entrance of Rollingwood Condominiums.
Zuluaga brings years of managerial experience to his new venture, having been a part owner of Capriccio in Brewster, N.Y. for 15 years. His uncle, Umberto Zuluaga was also an owner of Capriccio and his cousin Roman Zuluaga was a sous chef there.
Capriccio, a popular spot for fine dining since it opened in 1978, was sold to new owners two months ago. The main dining room of Franco is dominated by a dramatic picture window overlooking trees and greenery.
Walls are painted a rich pumpkin above a chair rail, apple green below it. Tables are clothed in dark green linen over white underskirts. Floors are polished hardwood. One wall is lined with large mirrors, visually expanding the space.
A small cocktail lounge is to the left of the front entrance. Happy Hour is offered on Fridays from 3:30 to 5:30 with free hors d'oeuvres.
Across from the cocktail lounge is a smaller dining room that affords coziness. A banquet room that seats 110 is available. Reservations are suggested. Major credit cards accepted. Attire is casual but nice.
Wheelchair access is through the front entrance. Bathrooms have excellent accommodations for persons with disabilities. Parking fronts the restaurant. There is also a lot behind the restaurant.
Tested and recommended
Focaccia, made in the restaurant kitchen, was brought to the table along with dipping oil and kalamata olives, great to nibble on while we looked over the menu.
We decided on a warm salad, the Grilled Vegetable Plate ($10), as our starter. Salads are priced a la carte here.
A large platter of vegetables -- eggplant, red and green peppers, leeks, asparagus and Portobello mushrooms -- had been grilled, then brushed with a balsamic-oil marinade. They were pungent and flavorful, a nice accompaniment to the focaccia.
I chose Shrimp Scampi ($20), which is given a little different twist here. Instead of the shrimp being served over linguine, it's served with creamy risotto and sautéed broccoli rabe.
And I should say something about the shrimp, which were very large, butterflied and broiled in a sherry-lemon-garlic sauce. There were six of them and they were mouthwatering. I could have eaten 20.
The risotto was rich and lovely and the broccoli rabe, flavored with lemon, was a nice tart foil for the rest of the entree.
My husband chose Black Angus New York Strip steak ($24), encrusted with sun-dried tomatoes and brushed with a Merlot wine reduction. It was cooked to tender perfection and was served with mashed potatoes and green beans.
For dessert, there was Tartufo ($6) -- four scoops of coffee ice cream filled with chocolate sauce encrusted with crushed almonds. They were sweet and light.
The Menu
One dish I almost couldn't pass up was Fettuccini Verdi di Parma -- handmade green ribbon fettuccini tossed with wild mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, and prosciutto in a cream sauce. It's $14 at dinner, $12 at lunch.
Another entree that looks enticing is handmade cavatelli, a dumpling similar to gnocchi, paired with fresh asparagus, chicken breast, grape tomatoes and fresh basil.
The lasagna here is layered with creamy bechamel and a hearty Bolognese sauce that's laced with pork, veal, peas and tiny meatballs.
Rack of lamb is a house specialty. So are pan-seared pork chops.
Most of the dinner entrees and pasta dishes are offered at lunch for a lower price. Panini and wraps are available at lunch.
Wines
Vintages of California, Italy and France are offered. House wines are about $6 per glass.
Service
Service is exceptionally courteous, efficient and attentive. There's a bit of a wait for foods to come from the kitchen, but we were conversing and sipping wine and didn't mind.
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Dinner entrees are $14 to $24. Luncheon entrees are $10 to $14, with steak and veal priced a little higher. Panini at lunch are $7 to $10.
What's a bargain? At lunch, Capesante con Parmigiano -- pan-seared diver scallops served with fresh artichokes, garlic, capers and olive oil, accompanied by potato croquettes, for $14.
Also at lunch you can get a steak panini -- thinly sliced New York strip steak topped with sautéed caramelized onions, peppers, Gorgonzola cheese, barbecue sauce and fontina cheese for $9.
About the chef
Chef Raymond DiDomizio, 41, was with Capriccio for 26 years, 11 of them as head chef, before joining Franco.
He grew up in Somers, N.Y. At 15, he learned neighbor Nino Burigana was opening an Italian restaurant in Brewster and asked to work as a dishwasher. DiDomizio stayed, rising through the ranks as line cook, sous chef, then head chef.
While at Capriccio, Burigana would go to Italy each year, find an Italian chef and arrange for him to live in this country for several months while he taught the kitchen staff the latest Italian recipes.
"I got to work with some wonderful chefs," DiDomizio says. "Most of my cooking skills were learned this way."
Two weeks ago, Franco Zuluaga hired an Italian chef, Nicola Magionne.
Magionne, 31, was raised in Lake Como, close to the Swiss border. He studied culinary arts at San Pelegrino and worked for seven years for a hotel in St. Moritz.
Before joining Franco, he worked at the Finch Tavern in Croton Falls, N.Y.
I tip one of my large hats in praise of Franco Ristorante, recently opened in Brookfield by Franco Zuluaga and Anthony D'Alto, owners of the Red Lion Belzoni Grill in Ridgefield, who have taken a lackluster space and created a roomy, Renaissance-style restaurant featuring Northern Italian fine dining at very affordable prices. A banquet room with a separate entrance offers a comfortable setting for many family and corporate occasions.
Only six weeks old, this restaurant has had an instant success due to the expertise of the two partners, who offer a Manhattan-style menu, but not at Manhattan prices.
According to the owners, diners have been returning more than once a week to sample more items on the well-balanced menu that includes pastas, seafood, beef, veal, lamb and pork dishes.
Spokesman for the partnership, Franco Zuluaga, said that he immigrated to the United States from Italy and worked in restaurants in New York City. He opened Capriccio, a fine dining restaurant on Route 22 in Brewster, N.Y., that is still owned by a family member. Then he was a partner at La Fortuna in Bethel, before becoming co-owner and general manager of Red Lion Belzoni Grill in Ridgefield in 1995. At Franco Ristorante, he greets his guests with enthusiasm and sincerity, checking occasionally to see if everything is satisfactory.
Mr. Zuluaga's talents are evident in the interior design of his new namesake restuarant, with walls of sienna in the main dining room complemented by soft hues of green, and a refreshing light lime green and white in the banquet room. He takes advantage of small alcoves in the main dining room by employing the use of different types of lighting and accessories. Tables are well spaced, lighting is soft and romantic, and service is attentive. A large, colorful mural of a street scene in Italy is by a friend of the owners, Nicola Ercole, who lives in Italy.
Generously portioned Italian/continental cuisine is prepared by an ace culinary team at Franco's Ristorante, and Paula Pastorak is in charge of the selection of wines for dining, tastings and full wine dinners planned in the future.
Signature appetizers at Franco Ristorante are broccoli rabe with hot cherry peppers topped with Italian sausage, crispy fried calamari, grilled Portobello mushroom with baby greens in balsamic vinaigrette, and thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma and fresh mozzarella drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
I enjoyed the light and tasty pan-fried crab cakes with a delicious bacon remoulade. An additional dinner appetizer is thinly sliced smoked salmon in grappa with baby arugula, extra virgin olive oil, lemon vinaigrette topped with shaved reggiano cheese, garlic and fresh herbs.
The Caesar salad my husband ordered was made with hearts of romaine and radicchio, tossed in an eggless Caesar dressing with croutons and topped with slices of shaved reggiano cheese.
Among the luncheon panini-wraps are thinly sliced frilled veal topped with red peppers, onion, capers and olives; thinly sliced New York strip steak topped with sautéed caramelized onions, peppers and gorgonzola cheese; a California grill with zucchini, eggplant, Portobello mushrooms, roasted peppers and asparagus with avocado spread; and a South Beach omelet of the day.
We recommend any of the pasta dishes on the menu, especially after we tasted the homemade ricotta cavatelli paired with extra virgin olive oil, fresh asparagus, chicken breast, grape tomatoes and basil, ant the rigatoni al vodka, tossed with red onion, prosciutto and fresh herbs in a tomato-cream sauce finished with parmesan cheese.
Also on the dinner menu are jumbo shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, with risotto and spinach; a hearty fish and shellfish stew prepared in tomato-basil broth with garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs; pan-seared pork chop with garlic, hot cherry peppers and balsamic vinegar served with toasted potatoes and broccoli rabe.
My husband enjoyed chicken breast sautéed with wild mushrooms, white wine, sweet peas and red onion served with toasted potatoes. I selected one of the house specialties, lasagna shaped eggplant stuffed with pappardelle pasta, fresh spinach, ricotta and prosciutto, topped with a delicious marinara-basil sauce and mozzarella. Both entrees were enjoyed for another meal at home and were twice savored. Two other house specialties are Black Angus New York strip steak with sun-dried tomatoes over a merlot wine reduction and roasted rack of lamb laced with rosemary and merlot wine reduction with toasted garlic mashed potatoes and green beans.
Side dishes at restaurants are usually rather ordinary, but not at Franco Ristorante. Here your choices are wild mushrooms, broccoli rabe, escarole with golden raisins, and roasted potatoes with fresh rosemary and garlic.
Leading the choices on the dessert list is an eggless tiramisu (yes, that's correct); in addition, ricotta cheesecake, chocolate cake, tartufo, fresh fruit and gelato. Order the pistachio if it is available on your visit.
An accomplished host, Franco Zuluaga has a gift for making guests feel like old friends, and in this new restaurant he takes you on a trip to Italy without leaving the States.
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