Fresh Food, Friendly Service At Fattusco's
/
By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com
Northport locals looking for quality pizza and Italian favorites need look no further than recently reopened Fattusco’s on 25A in Northport.
Donaldo Escobar, of Huntington, worked behind the counter for the previous owner for over seven years before Fattusco’s closed last year, but the experienced pizza maker and cook said he couldn’t let the restaurant disappear.
Escobar reopened the restaurant three months ago as the new owner, and many Northport natives are happy to have him back in business.
“We have a lot of repeat customers,” Escobar said. “We enjoy taking care of people here.”
With 17 years of experience working in Italian kitchens and pizzerias, Escobar brings a personal touch to Fattusco’s that includes a new specials menu every week. Fattusco’s turns out a full menu of lunch and dinner dishes in addition to beautiful pizzas and individual slices to go.
“We try to not just serve one type of dish; we try to change up our menu a little bit every week,” Escobar said.
Fresh ingredients and an arsenal of homemade sauces, including the pizza sauce, tomato sauce, grandma sauce and vodka sauce, separate Fattusco’s from other pizzerias in the area.
“Every kind of sauce here is made in house,” Escobar said.
The extensive menu at Fattusco’s leaves nothing to be desired, and the weekly menu of specials adds diversity.
To start, Le Polpette (3 for $8) are hand-crafted beef and pork meatballs hand-rolled with fresh herbs and simmered in a Sunday style sauce. The slow simmer seals in the flavor of the meat and pork. The sauce has a strong, well-balanced flavor that compliments the hearty meatballs, which are not overly overpowered by breadcrumbs.
For an entrée the Vitello Sorrentino ($19.95) features thinly pounded veal topped with eggplant and parma prosciutto, Fontina cheese and a Maderia wine sauce. The thinly pounded veal and the eggplant have a similar texture that creates cohesion within the dish. The sweet wine sauce provides a good base around which the other ingredients build classic Italian flavors.
From the specials menu, the Eggplant Bruschetta features baby arugula that is truffle infused and topped with fresh ricotta. The crispy eggplant takes the place of toast in a traditional bruschetta, and the tomato and arugula add brightness to the plate. The dish is a fresh bite that is a perfect lighter option in the warmer weather.
Entrée options from the specials include Pasta Pappardelle served with pork shank osso bucco ragu and topped with mascarpone cream. The thick cut past is well cooked and pairs well with intense flavors of the dish. The pork has a deep, rich flavor that combines with the creamy mascarpone for a filling, satisfying dish.
The fish specials include a Red Snapper Francaise served over broccoli rabe, white beans and cherry tomatoes in a lemon butter sauce. The fish is flaky and light. The well-seasoned greens, along with the beans, give a complexity of texture that compliments the well-cooked fish.
Escobar’s passion for food is evident in everything that comes out of the kitchen at Fattusco’s, but it’s his friendly attitude that really makes customers feel welcome.
He said, “If you like the food and you are happy, then I am happy.”
The newly-reopened Fattusco's at 1019 Fort Salonga Road, Northport.
