"That's Italian"

We scored a couple of $25 gift certificates to Pasghetti's and found it in the old world setting of downtown East Rochester. I apologize for the ridiculously out of focus photo (above) but it is important to convey the nicely designed, contemporary exterior of this place. Sandwiched between rows of 100 year old brick buildings on what surely must have been a thriving Main Street in another era it is now almost a dead end down by the tracks.

We sat in the window and and really got a kick of watching the people (pickup-driving guys that look like they would work outdoors, if they had work, and the women who are attracted to them) stumble in and out of the bar next door. This is clearly a local favorite - the bar, that is. Pasghetti's was a little quiet but it was early. A cute little girl kept riding around in circles out front on her tiny pink bicycle and when I went to the bathroom later there she was in the kitchen. I'm guessing one of the workers had taken his daughter to work.

My wife and I had fifty bucks to spend so we ordered a nice, reasonably priced bottle of Italian red and started with pasta e fagioli (or "Pasta Fasul" as it is known in the US.) and a salad, which we shared. In the words of the immortal Dean Martin, "When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool (another spelling), that's amore". As many times as I have heard that song, I had no idea what Pasta Fazul was. It is a soup with beans and pasta in a pork broth and it was just delicious. I miss Dean.

For our entrees, we ordered Pasgetti Cacciatore which was chicken sauteed with sausage, mushrooms and peppers. I would go back, not even look at the menu and order this again. It was a man's meal and a half. I took a good bit home. My wife enjoyed the Chicken Picatta, which is not offered everywhere and as far as I can tell is Chicken French with the addition of capers to add an edge to the French toast-like batter. My wife is still trying to find a Chicken Picatta that was as good as Lucia's.