CASCARINO’S OF COLLEGE POINT IS BACK!!! www.qns.com | november 2016 | lehavre Courier 5 By Keith Fiocca The wait is over!!! Cascarino’s Brick Oven Pizzeria and Restaurant of College Point is back, under new management and serving food the way it was at it’s peak! Gary Gullo from Bellagio’s Pizza of Long Island purchased the business and partnered up with James Coady, one of the original owners. Together, Gary and Jimmy are focusing on bringing the place back to where it was through quality food and first-rate service. After taking over the business in May, the partners closed the space for three months to completely renovate. Now the restaurant is back, open, and eager to serve the community as it has done for the past 22 years. The fully stocked bar and siding in the dining room were created from beautiful reclaimed wood, giving the place a downtown Williamsburg feel. The space holds over 100 people and was specifically designed to not only accommodate local diners but to draw people from outside the College Point area. The restaurant features a pizza counter area, a dining area with Edison lighting and a full bar stocked with top shelf liquors. In addition, there is a beautiful catering space which can hold over 120 people. To accommodate all of their patrons, Cascarino’s offers a sprawling parking lot in the back so there’s no need to be concerned about street parking or meters. Patrons often drive from out of town for easy, free parking. Upon entering I noticed the beautiful wood burning brick oven. Past the counter I noticed the huge, historic mural on the wall featuring a montage of old photos of College Point from 100 years ago. I saw the old College Point Theater, Karsch Brewing Company, Farrington Service Station and many other businesses that helped shape the neighborhood. I hear that people come in just to see the mural. After I sat down I was greeted by Tina, a favorite waitress who has been working there for 22 years. I quickly learned that she is a staple at Cascarino’s and she knows all of the locals by name. She also hasn’t taken a day off since 1995…Go Tina! I started off my tasting with a well-balanced Mondavi Cabernet from California. Before long a Margherita pizza had arrived and was presented cleverly on a pizza board atop an empty can of Alta Cucina plum tomatoes. The crust was thin, the plum tomato sauce was tasty and there was the perfect amount of locally made mozzarella and fresh basil. Next I had the Calamari Fritti which was fried to a perfect golden brown and served with the restaurant’s signature marinara sauce featuring san Marzano tomatoes, ribbons of fresh basil and chunks of roasted garlic. This was mouth-watering and I ate every last piece. If only they sold this sauce by the jar! Another appetizer I had was the Stuffed Mushrooms which were delicious as well as the Eggplant Rollatini. Here the paper thin eggplant was delicately fried and stuffed with mozzarella, ricotta and tomato sauce. As a last appetizer I tried the stuffed peppers. These were off the hook!! This was Jimmy’s grandmother’s recipe. First the pepper is halved the long way then stuffed with ground beef, rice and onions. The secret here is that they use Italian Frying peppers which add a ton of bright notes to every bite. For the first main course I tried the Chicken Francese. This delectable dish was light and bright and served in a tasty lemon butter sauce. The chicken was tender, moist and fried to perfection. Then came the Chicken Staiano which I must say is my new favorite dish… again this was OFF THE HOOK! Here we had chicken breaded and pan-fried with prosciutto, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella served in a red Marsala-based sauce. This dish was light, savory and the sauce lingered on the tip of my tongue. Next up was the Shrimp Oreganata; baked jumbo shrimp with bread crumbs, spinach, mushrooms, garlic & extra virgin olive oil. This dish had nice density and the mushrooms were cooked to perfection. As an end to my tasting I had the Rigatoni con Melenzana which came with sautéed eggplant and basil in a plum tomato sauce topped with ricotta. The dish was lush, light and solid! I love how none of the dishes at Cascarino’s are smothered in sauce to disguise what you’re eating. Every element can stand on it’s own. This rustic-hipster gem is a MUST for anyone who appreciates a high quality menu and tough-to-beat Italian fare. Whether you’re coming in with friends to see the nostalgic mural, book a party or dine in the newly renovated dining room, Cascarino’s is the place! Come park in the lot, place your order, have a drink and say hello to the new owners and some familiar faces like Tina & Victor.
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