FUSARO'S Italian Restaurant

The Kitty and I went to FUSARO's on Old South Road the other night. Actually we went two (2) nights but the first time we could not get in because the line was around the block. On our second attempt we shared a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and a glass of "house" Chianti.

First the good stuff. The owner, Tom Fusaro, was on scene watching over the operation. He came to our table and was a nice pleasant fellow who has lived on Nantucket for 30 years. Our waitress, Jennifer, was also very nice but neglected (or was it their policy) to bring us bread or ask us if we wanted any Parmesan-Romano grated cheese sprinkled on our meal. We ordered a glass of Chianti which came quickly along with two glasses of water without ice. The meatballs were the BEST ON NANTUCKET. Tender and delicious made (and we believe it) from an old family recipe. A mixture of veal, pork, and beef, baked then cooked in sauce. Just like my grandmother would have made if she were Italian and not Hungarian. The spaghetti was cooked Al Dente (just firm enough) and was not as large as I would have expected but adequate. The sauce was flavorful but a little thin. It is as if they neglected to adequately drain the pasta and this diluted the sauce. Good flavor, did not adhere to the noodles well enough.

Now for the critical side. The meal was 13 dollars which was fair, especially on Nantucket where you have to take a second mortgage to go out to some restaurants. The wine was 8 dollars a glass. It was a skimpy pour of house chianti. If you are going to serve jug wine at least make it a decent volume for the money. I would guess that the wine quality was in the below 8 dollar store-retail category which makes the 6 glasses per bottle pour quite the profit center for the restaurant. When you enter the restaurant, the door to the kitchen is open right next to the ramp from the parking lot. As the old saying goes, "Never approach a restaurant from the rear." Their kitchen looked clean but nevertheless.

They have been open for 3 weeks. As usual, the volume of business would be expected to fall off with time, (may rise with the influx of tourists) unless the place is a great value, fun to go to and the food is yummy. The food needs just a little minor change, the wine is not a great value, and the service was acceptable. Where's the bread and the grated cheese? Spend an extra NICKEL and make the pasta portion a little larger. Drain the pasta better so the sauce (gravy) is not watery. Pour a real 2/3 glass of wine. Offer grated cheese and a bread basket. Put ice in the water pitcher. Keep the meatballs the same, they are blue ribbon winners. Tom's grandma was a meatball master.

We will be going back and I will give my review to the owner, because I CARE that they do well and I can keep going there for the season. I think my suggestions would be helpful or I would not have written them. I wish this restaurant success. If these minor course corrections are not attended to, devotees of real italian food may be dissuaded from revisiting.