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As seen in South Philly Review

Franco's Trattoria

by Phyllis Stein-Novack
Published: Aug 30, 2007

Franco Faggi's newest restaurant Franco's Trattoria on Kelly Drive and Ridge Avenue is another successful venture for the long-time Philadelphia restaurateur.

Several years ago, the restaurant Verge opened on Kelly Drive. I thought the name odd, but the food — American bistro fare — was not bad. I’m not sure exactly when it closed, but the space was dormant for a while.

Enter Franco Faggi, one of the original owners of the recently shuttered Monte Carlo Living Room. Anyone who loves fine, authentic Italian food — and this includes Edward and me — enjoyed Monte Carlo, where people dressed for their experience. Faggi introduced squid ink pasta to Philadelphia.

Two months ago, Faggi opened Franco’s Trattoria on Verge’s former site and I couldn’t help but wonder, “do we need another Italian restaurant?” You bet we do — this one is a winner. The food is beautifully prepared with top-quality ingredients. The wait staff is well-versed in the menu and assisted by an army of bus help, which kept the evening moving like a well-oiled Cadillac.

The chef in charge is none other than Luca Sena Jr. Edward and I have known the Sena family — who own La Famiglia, Panorama and Le Castagne — for more than 20 years.

Cousin Carl and I arrived for dinner and were shown to a table by the window overlooking the Schuylkill River. Sunlit with warm colors, Franco’s boasts a friendly bar and comfortable table seating.

Massimo, the manager, worked the room like a favorite uncle, welcoming everyone to the restaurant. Our waiter Alberto took our drink orders and brought us warm homemade bread and complimentary caponata. Wines by the glass are priced so reasonably I thought the list had typos. The house Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio were $5.75 a glass.

We shared three antipasti: tuna carpaccio ($8.75), shrimp and beans ($7.75) and fried calamari ($7.25). All were brilliant sights for the eyes and a pleasure for the taste buds.
The carpaccio consisted of several extremely thin slices of sushi-grade tuna, which were so delicate and transparent you could read a newspaper through them. Sena lightly dressed them in olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and tiny capers. The splendid shrimp and bean antipasti was served warm. Authentic cucina adheres to the adage “less is more” and letting the ingredients speak for themselves is Sena’s method. There were four jumbo shrimp — sautéed and slightly crunchy — surrounded by slightly creamy cannelloni beans bathed in extra-virgin olive oil.

“This is really good,” Carl, a first-timer for this dish, said as he speared a few beans.

We particularly liked the batter used in the fried calamari. Whole baby squid and rings were coated in a light, tempura-like coating and fried to a grease-free golden brown. The homemade spicy marinara was outstanding.

We asked Alberto if we could share an appetizer portion of pasta. “Of course you can, Senora,” he said with a smile.

Pasta Amatriciana is one of my favorites. Sena uses rigatoni, but I think this stubby pasta works best in baked dishes. “Can we have fettuccine instead?” I asked. “Certainly, Senora,” Alberto responded. Carl loved this simple dish made with crisp pancetta, white wine, fresh chopped tomatoes and Romano cheese. Our appetizer portion was $6.75 and most generous.

I did get a taste of the soft-shell crabs, a special, and they were delicious, coated in seasoned flour and beautifully sautéed. My tilapia Livornese ($16.75) tasted as if it has been plucked straight from Livorno. The immaculately fresh six-ounce portion was sautéed in white wine, capers, garlic and fresh chopped tomatoes. Sena prepared the fish perfectly; it was juicy inside. He packed a pastry bag with piping hot mashed potatoes and constructed a mound almost the size of Mount Etna on the plate, next to a mélange of fresh vegetables.

Veal Saltimbocca is rarely prepared properly in Italian restaurants, often drowned in gummy salty cheese with the low-quality meat masked by a mound of sautéed spinach. Not here; Sena hit the dish on the mark. Carl’s dinner ($17.75) was cooked with imported Proscuitto di Parma, garlic, fresh sage and white wine, just like in Italy. Carl’s sides were potatoes and vegetables as well.

At this point Faggi made his way around the room. We chatted, careful not to reveal my identity. I asked Alberto if I could go into the kitchen and congratulate Sena on a brilliant dinner. In the back, Sena was really cookin’, turning out dish after dish for a nearly packed restaurant.

From the dolci we selected “bomba al ciocolato” and chocolate tortino (both $6.75). I never ever pass on a “bomba,” which is sometimes called “tartuffo.” A large ball of ice cream is coated in bittersweet chocolate and frozen. I love the crunch of the shell, which marries well with the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream. The individual chocolate cake was warm, topped with vanilla ice cream, and oozed rich chocolate sauce when Carl dug into it.

Dinner was a splendid affair. The noise level is perfect, the lighting sublime and the service marvelous.

Three extraordinary tips of the toque to Franco’s Trattoria.
 
©2010 Francos Trattoria