DINING OUT:
TASSONE'S WINE GARDEN (10/04)

Baldwinsville, New York

Located at the corner of Dexter and Rte. 370 in Baldwinsville, TASSONE’S has for some fourteen years been known as one of the finest purveyors of authentic Italian cuisine in all of central New York. In fact, the food is prepared with such a sophisticated style and presented so attractively that, for most of that time, visitors were a bit surprised at how basic the surroundings were. For TASSONE’S always appeared to be a simple family-owned trattoria, with a pleasant and ultra-clean but negligible décor that in no way hinted at the above-and-beyond the norm taste treats in store for a first-time visitor. Now, all that has changed. During the past year, a major-scale makeover has given TASSONE’S the elegant look of a true wine-garden upscale restaurant, with handsomely understated Christmas green walls with mauve embellishments, and striking framed images of Italy adding a pleasant reminder of ‘the old world.’ Recessed lighting, also new to the property, now adds a romantic mood that will attract couples out for an elegantly good time, without in any way interfering with the longstanding family orientation that has always proved to be the secret of TASSONE’S success. And, best of all, the bar/lounge area – which used to be strangely situated in the heart of the restaurant – has been moved over to a room all its own, with improvements that modernize it for today’s night-life crowd.

On a recent Friday evening when we visited, the bar was packed with customers, but their obvious enjoyment of a T.G.I.F. situation was not noticeable once we had entered the restaurant proper, where people of all ages, composed of singles, couples, and full families, were thoroughly enjoying the quality of their varied meals. And there to meet us was Don, who had been our ultra-professional waiter when we – my husband, myself, and our youngest son — last visited several years ago, before the renovation. Don had a big smile for our return, but immediately asked, “where’s your boy?” When we called to make reservations, he and owner Sam Tassone had immediately set aside the corner booth that we had occupied, and enjoyed, back then. We explained that Shea was now off at college, otherwise he would have been with us, as he’d loved the food here. But what’s most important is that we were happily amazed to find a restaurant where, a year and a half after you visit, the proprietor and staff still vividly recall their each and every customer, where they sat and what they had, and pick up immediately on a conversation about your family members as if you’d been in a week and a half, rather than a year and a half, ago.

That’s a ‘family restaurant’ in the best sense of the term, and says much about the honest warmth, as well as the true professionalism, of all involved in the project. It’s the way people remember being greeted and treated in the restaurants they used to visit during ‘the good ol’ days,’ before impersonal chains took over and the staff started turning over on a monthly basis. It’s the way you’ll still find yourself treated at TASSONE’S.

Of course, none of this (however nice it all is) would mean much if the food failed to satisfy. That’s never been a problem here. Every item we’ve ever tried on the menu is quite marvelous. This time, my husband (as always) opted for the steamed clams ($6.95 for a dozen littlenecks) that he’d had (and remembered loving) from the last time that we were in. Of course, he couldn’t help but worry that maybe he’d worked them up into something above and beyond their reality in his mind, and we often do with many life situations, and not only those involving food. Happily, that wasn’t the case. They were fresh and sweet, just as he remembered. I had the fried calamari, lightly breaded and served with two (rather than the usual one) sauces, garlic and cocktail style. Crunchy yet chewy at the same time, they were (and I do not exaggerate) as good as any I’ve ever had – anywhere.

Other appetizers include garlic pizza, chicken tenders, portabella stuffed mushroom, chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, jumbo shrimp cocktail, clams casino, stuffed potato skins, crab stuffed mushrooms, and onion rings. They range in price from $4.95 to $6.95. Cream soups, chili, and French Onion are often featured ($3.75). We tried the Zuppa di Gorno (soup of the day), which happened to be an Italian bean and ham combination, much like the more Americanized greens and beans soups. The taste was sumptuous without being overly spicy, a strong blend of varied elements that completely satisfied.

Salads range from the usual (fresh garden, $2.75) to an antipasto ($7.95) and Tassone’s Creation, large chef salad with broccoli and marinated chicken breast ($7.95). Every item on the menu, including each salad, is given some sort of special ‘signature’ touch by John Tassone, son of owner Sam Tassone, a self-taught chef who now oversees the kitchen. For instance, my husband and I ordered Caesar Salad, and while it did indeed conform to the conventional item, a unique touch was provided by red peppers, which gave the item just enough uniqueness to make it something special.

When it comes to a main course, I’m a devoted beefeater. For people of my persuasion, the menu features a Roasted Prime Rib ($13.93 for regular cut, $17.95 for King cut) that can’t be beaten by any of the area restaurants that orient themselves around beef dishes. The prime rib is top quality beef, cooked precisely to order. My husband prefers to order more continental dishes, and so he tried the Veal Francais, egg-dipped veal scallopine sautéed in white wine, lemon and butter, served with mushrooms and scallions ($13.95), as well as a choice of pasta or potato, par for the course for the restaurant’s dinner items. The meal was cooked by people who know precisely what they are doing, and the veal itself proved to be supremely tender, making clear that the highest quality meats are ordered here. Other veal dishes (Rossini, Cutlet Parmigiana, Marsala, and Cacciatore) run between $12.95 and $14.95.

Pasta is of course a specialty, including spaghetti, linguine, fettuccini, ziti, manicotti, and rigatoni. Fifteen diverse pasta items range in price from an economical $9.95 (including baked eggplant a la Parmigiana en Casserole and Broccoli over Linguine to name only two), to the piece-de-resistance, the Capucuoco Speciale: scallops, crab, and shrimp in marinara sauce over a bed of linguine. Which brings to mind the seafood items, fourteen in all, ranging between $9.95 (fresh haddock) to surf and turf ($32.95). In between those two extremes in prices, you’ll also find broiled seafood platter (haddock, shrimp, scallops, and lobster tail), broiled sea scallops or sea bass, fried shrimp, crab stuffed haddock, and shrimp and crab Alfredo style. Chicken is available in Parmigiani, Marco Polo, Cacciatore, Marsala, Milano, Francais, and Chesapeake styles, all the ‘pollo’ items priced at $12.95. Steaks include New York Strip, Delmonico, and Filet (price ranges between $13.95 and $17.95) and, for those with lighter appetites or watching their pocketbooks, an open steak sandwich is available for $12.95. Combination platters featuring a steak and shrimp, scallops, or lobster tail are also on the menu.

Three variations on pork chops (pizzaiola, broiled with peppers, onions, and mushrooms, wine and marinara sauce at $12.95), stuffed and served with gravy ($11.95), or grilled (with applesauce, $10.95) are on the menu. A bambino section features items including the expected grilled cheese, chicken tenders, and cheeseburger, but also fettuccini alfredo, ranging from $3.50 to $6.95. The desserts are mostly all prepared on property, and an extensive sweets menu includes pies, cakes, sundaes, all given a unique Italian twist.

We loved the look that Sam’s daughter Mary gave the property when she picked the details for their change in design. The lounge is comfy and cozy, yet state of the art. And there’s an outdoor smoking area, complete with tables and chairs, to which smokers can retire themselves when they feel the need, taking their drinks along with them. Catering is available for parties upward of 100, though such items must be picked up as they are not deliverable. A Sunday brunch, featuring breakfast items as well as hearty Italian meal possibilities, has become a great favorite.

For more info. and/or reservations, you can visit Sam and his family on the web at tassoneswinegarden.com or call: 315 635-5133. Please mention that you read about TASSONE’S in “Table Hopping.”