Franciscco
by Frank Quattrone
Who doesn’t love Italian food? And who doesn’t enjoy eating out at his or her favorite Italian restaurant? It’s something we just have to do. With immense pleasure. Surely, it’s built into our DNA, right? And as much as we love meatballs and pasta, crusty Italian bread, cannoli and tiramisu—honestly, now—can you tell me the last time you came away from a typical Italian meal without feeling kind of stuffed and practically ready for bed? Hm, I thought so.
So imagine my surprise when Eve and I finished our dinner at Francisco’s on the River in Washington Crossing, feeling energized and light—maybe not quite able to run a marathon, but more than poised to enjoy a stroll along the Delaware, just across River Road from Francisco’s charming restaurant.
After perusing the menu, I had decided to order Francisco’s legendary Linguini al Frutti di Mare Fradiavolo, a generous plate of shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and fresh fish sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and crushed red peppers (to give the dish some extra zing), finished with white wine and a splash of red sauce. But an earnest chat with our outgoing, and obviously well-informed server, Patricia Medina, who’s worked with Francisco for thirteen years, quickly changed my mind. She described the Eggplant Parmigiano as a multilayered arrangement of eggplant (sixteen layers, mind you!), fresh basil, and Parmigiano, served in the chef’s special marinara. That was tempting—especially when she closed her eyes and smacked her lips gently in recollection of her own experience with Francisco’s signature dish, as well as her sincere report of customer satisfaction.
So I ordered it and quickly realized it was not the least bit overrated. Chef-owner Francisco Argueta, a native of El Salvador, told me that he and Sous Chef Juillermo Albares simply slice the eggplant as thin as they can, take the time to sop up the natural oil with paper towels, then lightly flour and pan-fry it. Between every two layers, the chefs add fresh basil, Parmigiano, and their homemade marinara, and there you have it—probably the best Eggplant Parmigiano I’ve ever tasted!
We started our dinner with a basket of aromatic whole wheat garlic bread, a house specialty, and one of Francisco’s recurrent specials, Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad, tossed with candied walnuts and arugula in a tangy lemon vinaigrette. We decided to save the pistachio-encrusted Hawaiian Butterfish, served over sautéed spinach in a white wine lemon sauce, as well as the huge and popular Bob’s Plate, a big dish of salmon, scallops, shrimp, and crabmeat, served over fettuccine in a pink vodka sauce, for our next visit.
Eve’s entrée, Rack of Veal, served with mashed bliss potatoes and sautéed carrots, zucchini, and snow peas in a porcini beef demi-glace, was also beautifully prepared. And quite honestly, if it weren’t for the Eggplant Parm, perhaps our favorite dish that night might have been the homemade Coconut Cake and Tiramisu, both delicious and light—with a double espresso, the perfect cap to the evening. Francisco says he easily achieves lightness in his dishes because he rarely uses butter, preferring olive oil, where appropriate, as well as the natural juices of each major ingredient, to complete or complement the dish.
So it goes at Francisco’s on the River, a Mediterranean gem with a warm ambiance as well as a lovely view of the river from its River Room. The Fireplace Room, especially popular as the temperature drops, and the North Room, the main dining room, are also cozy nooks to enjoy the chef’s refined menu. Francisco, who came to America thirty-five years ago, started out as a dishwasher at Newtown’s Tre Fratelli. After watching the restaurant’s Italian and Swiss owners working joyfully together in the kitchen and inviting their staff to join in, Francisco was hooked. He was so excited to learn and was so good at it that he quickly worked his way up the culinary ladder to executive chef, a position he held there for twelve years.
By 2004, he was ready to open his first restaurant, Florentino’s, also in Newtown, which has been thriving ever since. He describes Florentino’s as a small, quaint, New York-style dining haven with seats close enough together that regular patrons soon tend to become friends. In 2008, attracted by the location, Francisco decided to open his second, self-named Italian/Mediterranean restaurant, in picturesque Washington Crossing.
With reliable chefs like Juillermo Albares to help man the kitchen and amiable servers like Patricia Medina and Kelly McLaine to greet guests and make informed recommendations from the menu, Francisco’s on the River has also garnered its share of praise. Francisco said, “I couldn’t do this without my great staff. They are all hand-selected and do their best to accommodate our customers. They are all part of the family.”
Francisco’s on the River is located at 1251 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA 18977; 215-321-8789; www.franciscosontheriver.com. Open for dinner Tuesday-Thursday, 5 – 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 – 10 p.m., and Sunday, 4 – 9 p.m. Closed Monday. BYOB. Reservations suggested weekends. Full range of catering options available.