If you’re going to have a restaurant in one of the most highly contested areas of Manhattan, you’re going to need a strong offering. Thankfully, Fasano Restaurant is well up-to-task with spritely, classic service and a sense of grandeur that’s a little bit of Rome and 90s New York rolled into one.
The thing you’ll remember most about this impeccably dressed Italian restaurant is the striking, romantic interior, cleverly segmented into two dining rooms – one big, the other bigger – distinguished by a beautifully lit corridor dressed by objets d’art, rare-find magazines and stately coffee table books. Everything is tastefully done, from the impeccably dressed staff to the large, plush leather booths.
Brazilian interior designer Isay Weinfeld clearly prefers soft lighting and muted tones, which makes it all the more fascinating when guests step out in their finest threads; vibrant and bright to pop out against the sophisticated look. It’s an Instagrammers dream. But this isn’t the kind of food that’s all show and no substance,
Fasano sits one block from JP Morgan and two from Grand Central Station. The location cannot but undervalued, especially since it’s the preferred playground of the rich and famous. David and Victoria Beckham, for example, were spotted on a date here shortly after their Netflix documentary, and countless other celebrities have been through.
It’s understandable. This isn’t a buzzy trattoria like most of Manhattan’s new openings. It’s a quiet, hushed upscale Italian restaurant that’s perfected the studied arrangement of elegance and privacy. You could picture Michael Corleone doing deals from one of those familiar white linen tables, smartly separated from each other by large rattan screens. They feel like booths cradling you away from the rest of society, so your focus is on nothing but good conversation and full-flavoured Italian classics.
On my visit, however, the restaurant is all but empty with a few scattered tables on a weeknight. That’s fine. That’s actually quite perfect for the important people that stomp through here with their bottomless expense accounts. I’ve heard from locals that it’s one of JP’s go-to restaurants for private client dinners; I’m not surprised. Again, privacy is caked in.
But perhaps the crowd doesn’t show up until later, preferring dinner-and-a-show by following a session in the dining room with drinks at the upstairs bar, Baretto. Internationally renowned, the classy Jazz and Bossa Nova bar echoes Fasano’s love of vintage Manhattan. I didn’t go up on my visit, but there’s little doubt it feels like as much as a throwback film set as the dining room.
What’s It Like Eating At Fasano?
Sumptuous visuals aside, this is a serious Italian restaurant with a firm grip on generosity, both in service and servings. Plates may be expensive, but you get a lot for them.
A $45 red shrimp carpaccio is delicately layered with bell peppers and heart of palm. It’s pricey for what you get, but given said clientele, the menu’s upscale reach is expected. Is the flavour up to scratch, though? When it come to thinly sliced seafood it most definitely is. The red shrimp is thinly sliced and appropriately decadent, treated simply with the bell peppers adding some brightness.
I can’t say the same, however, for the $45 scallops dressed with saffron, potato and ostera caviar. It’s got all the right accompaniments, but the texture is rubbery and locks up all the flavour. You’re much better off with the $38 octopus, with a full tentacle playing with chickpeas, scallions and tomatoes. While the supporting flavours really don’t add much, the octopus itself is well-cooked and texturally perfect. I’m not sure why the kitchen decided to go with chickpeas, however.
Chef Nicola Fedeli must think bigger is better when it comes to pasta. In most cases, it is. The $55 risotto all’astice with carnaroli rice, lobster and saffron is oversized and satisfying, grabbing most of its flavour from the fresh lobster while its juices seep into the firm, starchy rice. It’s a heavy dish – as it should be – which should make the price tag easier to swallow, especially for travellers who may be contending with a broken exchange rate right now (like Australians).
Fasano may have a few duds when it comes to seafood dishes, but the pastas are knockouts. A $44 spaghetti with a big, beautiful red shrimp on top wraps around mullet bottarga, flavoured with butter and lemon. It’s rich and intense while the red shrimp is light and sweet. I’m thankful there’s no excessive shower of cheese like most old-school Italian restaurants would push.
Pitch-perfect food pairings may be a lost art in many modern Italian restaurants these days, but Fasano clearly has the stock to enhance all these flavours. A sommelier flips through the tome-like wine book with an impressive memory of exactly what to suggest, and when. The liquor list is similarly extensive and ticks of all the big names, including a dedicated list of amaros showcasing several regional styles and flavours.
Desserts are priced reasonably well between $19-$21 so I wrap the meal with a recommendation: the $21 gelato cremoso alla vaniglia. They know I’m here to write about the food so clearly wanted to push me towards the star-seller. And what a treat it is. Light, fluffy homemade vanilla ice cream is cleverly loaded with textures of meringue, almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts. You control the amount of nuts that are folded into the ice cream. Going all in is advisable.
A visit to Fasano is costly but hard to pass by. It’s not somewhere I’d go as a solo diner, but for dates or special occasions with just one or two others, it’s perfect. There’s plenty of smart ambient details to help lift the experience and preserve it as a kind of ode to Manhattan’s swankier era.
Highlights: Red shrimp spaghetti, lobster risotto, vanilla ice cream.
Address: 60 E 49th St, New York, NY 10017
