Shantel B.
Yelp
This shop is easy to reach via the #71 bus, or by bike. Arriving by car can be tricky, with just a handful of metered spots nearby. But perseverance and good humor will pay off.
Fastachi gives the impression of a clean, modern shop and every time I have gone there I have had the full attention of its polite, friendly, professional staff.
I am the weak link, ironically--dazzled by the appealing nut mixtures.
In my enchanted state, I have yet to venture beyond the combinations displayed in front of me as I walk in. To the usual-suspect nuts dried fruits, wasabi peas, and corn nuts have been carefully added, producing various tasty mixes that have brightened many a snack-time.
I have yet to venture into the dried fruit options at one end of the shop, not to mention the chocolates at the other.
The nuts are sold by weight, spooned up in the amount of your choice. Sometimes I have brought my own container, seized by environmental conscience, and my server has filled it without hesitation, treating it with the respect given to their own containers. Rather than take home another plastic bucket, I have received my own container back, replenished and anointed with a crisp sticker, and left with my conscience intact.
Fastachi nuts are sold at Cardullo's and Formaggio kitchen, among other places. But buying them directly adds to the experience. The nuts are roasted frequently, I believe on site. In fact, I would go there just for the smell, which transports me to other scenes I can't quite place. The circus, or the circus of my imagination.