Fascino Birthday Dinner Montclair NJ
For her birthday, we went to Fascino last night in Montclair. We opted for the tasting menu, and settled in.
Service, throughout the meal was absolutely spot on. Very attentive, without feeling rushed at all. Our meal began with a vibrant manzanila tapenade on crostini as an amuse bouche.
Our first course was two tartares, hers a Yellowfin and mine a truffled salmon. Both were absolutely perfect in their consistency and extremely flavorful.
Second course, was two fishes, both prepared with excellence. She had a porcini dusted skate over risotto and I had baramnundi, skin perfectly crisped over spaetzle with a beautifully flavored paprika sauce.
Third course, brought her 3, what I remember as ravioli, stuffed with beets, and I believe marscapone. (I'm doing this from memory, so I apologize in advance for any errors) They were very flavorful and the flavors melded together wonderfully. I had housemade squid ink pasta with shrimp and what I think were eggplant in a seafood reduction. Best squid ink pasta I have had outside of Raffetto's in NYC.
Four our fourth course, she had rack of lamb, two, good sized and perfectly cooked over fontina polenta and I believe a carrot foam. I opted for a Kurobota pork chop with a pomegranate glaze over broccoli rabe. Perfect medium rare and also accompanied by what we perceived (I didn't check the menu on the way out) to be a spiced sweet potato or pumpkin puree. Exquisite.
Two regular coffees and a molten chocolate cake with hazelnut gelato for me, and a hazelnut praline bread pudding for the birthday lady.
$65/pp - and I can't remember a time that 5 courses hit so perfectly on every level. A definite evening to remember and we will definitely return.
