Jim B.
Yelp
I joined the Braun Station retirees for their Christmas luncheon today. It was my first time to ever dine at a Paesano's, although I always wanted to go after hearing rave reviews from others. Let me tell you... It is a popular place for holiday lunches. The place was absolutely packed when I arrived shortly after eleven.
As usual, we were seated at a large table. I had a comfortable spot close to the people I know best from the group. Our server, Alberto, had already brought plates of bread. There was one sitting right in front of me, which I passed down to the end of the table. It looked very good. The ladies all said it was very good. However, my brain was in one of its moods and interpreted the smell of it badly. Trust me- it was just me and not the bread.
I ordered Jalapeno Pesto Fazzaletti. I had studied the menu the night before and made my choice after using Google to look up all the words I didn't know. This is what it was: fazzaletti (long sheets of pasta), Peroni pot roast (a HUGE hunk of delicious pot roast cooked in a delicious sauce with a touch of Peroni beer), and cipollini (small flat onions that were delicately pickled). All of this was smothered in a wonderful jalapeno pesto sauce that was thick, rich, and tasty as HELL! I think it was the best Italian food I have ever eaten. Take in mind that I am saying that based on the taste sensations alone. I had never heard of this dish. It was just all the textures and flavors together that sent me off on an explosive taste bud journey. Did I mention that it had goat cheese sprinkled on top?
All of the other dishes that the ladies ordered looked equally delicious. Nobody seemed to have any complaints. If I had been with my family, I would have begged for tastes of some of them.
I want to talk some more about our server, Alberto. Y'all know how much I like a good server. Alberto was fantastic. His style (and maybe the entire service staff of this venue) was very formal. He served me iced tea while I was in the middle of a conversation without my even noticing. He did some extra things I usually don't see often except in really expensive fine dining establishments. For example, he went around the table shifting everyone's bread plates to make room for the salads. After removing the salad plates, he went around again and took everyone's salad fork and gave the ones eating pasta a large spoon. He also replaced any knives that had been used with clean ones. I thought it was kind of funny. When I was growing up, it was considered vulgar to use a spoon with pasta unless we were at home. On the other hand, Mama would never give us a clean knife or fork at home. You got one and used it the whole time.
I give Alberto cudos for being super attentive to everyone's needs without making it obvious. I asked him for a box to go, and he took my plate away and packed my leftovers in a neat black box for me. At first I thought he heard me joking about stealing the pasta bowl (I really liked the shape!), but he packed everyone's leftovers. Well not everyone's. Most people ate all of theirs. I would have, but my diabetic medications won't let me!