Francesco’s, Clairton, PA

Francesco’s Italian restaurant is located off of 51 in Clairton, PA.  It isn’t a large eatery, probably 50 seats total.  I noticed quite a few black and white pics of the Francesco family on the wall as I walked in- I was interested in learning more about the rich history.

We sat at our table (there were 16 of us total for a surprise party) and waited for the guest of honor to arrive.  The menu was typical; veal, chicken, salmon, salads, and plenty of homemade pasta dishes to choose from.  More time passed and our waitress took our drink orders.  A few bottles of wine appeared at our table, and we enjoyed the vino as we continued to contemplate our dinner choices.  My stomach began to ache from hunger pangs, and I wondered why our waitress hadn’t offered our crew some munchies to chew on.  Finally, after 45 minutes a few apps were served- polenta with red sauce, portabella mushroom with cheese, and Italian pastry (savory) with a béchamel sauce.  The appetizers were tasty… my stomach was grateful.  A few minutes after the appetizers disappeared our server dropped off some gooey, soft Italian bread with butter.  The yeasty loaves were warm and flavorful- pure deliciousness.

Main dishes came next.  My filet was placed in front of me with a red river of bloody béarnaise sauce.  I love the buttery emulsion, but was a bit turned-off by the resulting presentation, and under-doneness of the meat (it was ordered medium but came rare).  The parm-mashed potatoes were tasty, but the side of broccoli was grey, overcooked and mushy.   The pasta dishes looked delicious, as did the salmon and veal.

I didn’t have the opportunity to try the desserts because our party brought a birthday cake; I wouldn’t have minded sampling the tiramisu.

Francesco’s is a family restaurant.  The food is good, and the service is excellent.  If you’re looking for a new place to try, and want some traditional Italian grub, give Francesco’s a try.