Fiorentino's Ristorante

Posted By Bill Homan on February 21, 2007 11:21 AM

Fiorentino's Ristorante is a mainstay in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn. My girlfriend's family has made it their "go to" Italian place for many years. We went there recently and I had what was one of the best meals in recent memory.

A basket of "Coney Island" bread and bread sticks was brought to the table. Not sure what makes it "Coney Island", but I was sold on the crisp crust and chewy interior. I had a huge bowl of pasta e fagiole and it was rich, hearty and full of beans, various pastas and tomatoes. The bread served well to scoop up the last bits in the bowl. The chopped salad of iceberg, endive, radishes, onions and tomatoes had a very refreshing crunch but could have used a stronger dressing.

The main course was a filet of veal parmigiana for three. This had to be the most tender veal I have ever eaten. Fork tender, it came swimming in a rich tomato sauce and covered in gooey, browned mozzarella cheese. I also sampled some of the chicken parmigiana, which I have had here before. It's just as tender as the veal and rich with flavor. Definitely a tie for the best chicken parmigiana I've ever tasted! The spaghetti on the side was cooked al dente and covered in more of that delicious sauce.

My girlfriend had the signature dish of chicken Fiorentino consisting of chicken, artichokes, mushrooms and capers in a white wine sauce. The real surprise treat for me was the side of broccoli rabe. I usually find rabe to be too bitter for my taste, but this had a subtle bitterness that worked extremely well with the olive oil and sauteed slices of garlic. A real winner!

There wasn't much of an atmosphere to speak of, but the waitstaff were very friendly and helpful. The prices were much lower than I would have expected and there were many other items on the menu that I would like to try on my next trip. I believe that they only accept cash and American Express.