Mellow Mushroom

 

Ate lunch here on New Year's Eve. My first time. Great atmosphere. Good service, even on what appeared to be a rather busy afternoon.

Eggplant Parmigiana

 

So I got curious about the origin of this fabulous dish that I enjoyed at Francesco's: 

"The eggplant arrived in Italy during the 15th century – when the Arabs brought it from India. This part of the story already takes us to Sicily: According to this thesis, the city of Parma has nothing to do with it – not even the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This version states that the term actually derives from the Sicilian word ‘parmiciana,’ the little wooden strips that form a shutter – recalling the partially overlapping arrangment of fried eggplant used in the dish." -- La Cucina Italiana

Felice Anno Nuovo!

 

Francesco

A salad is just a salad, unless, of course, you slightly caramelize the red onion slices and add peppercorn dressing. Whew! And brace yourself for the pepper!

Felice Anno Nuovo everyone!

Francesco's

 

So, I've had to overcome a reluctance on my part to share my local favorites, mostly because I favor the little known and often slightly out-of-the-way places to eat, which are not likely to remain "little known" if I spotlight them. Anyway, Francesco's is one of my favorites.

Greeting me, as I entered last night, was this cool color-changing sign. More about this place tomorrow.