Francoli Gourmet Emporio

Recommends

TheTripChick

Joined 9 years ago

Service, food and recommendations were all spot -on.

We landed at Francoli after spending 45 minutes on a wait list for an outdoor table at Haven, just down the street. Finally, famished, the gentlemen hoofed it over to Francoli to see if they had outdoor seating available while a friend and I caught up. Glory be, a table for four, outdoors, was indeed available! We quickly vacated the very loud Haven and hoofed it over to Francoli. Best decision of the evening!

We were seated at a lovely outdoor table and our server promptly appeared. I ordered a Primitivo from the extensive wine list, but unfortunately they were out of that particular bottle so I chose another, similar Primitivo, first asking our server what he thought of this new bottle. His honesty ("It's pretty good", no attempt to oversell the alternative) is among the traits that made our service shine throughout the evening. After decanting, the alternative Primitivo opened up nicely and we ended up ordering two bottles throughout our evening. For a starter, we ordered a Carpaccio di Bue (Raw beef, arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, capers, drizzled with lemon and extra virgin olive oil) for the table. Carpaccio is something we order often, and this one was very good. The tart-crisp of the arugula and the salt of the capers melded wonderfully with the fresh beef. Definitely give it a try when you're here.

Next up, it was a tough call between the Fettuccine Bolognese (I'm a sucker for a phenomenal Bolognese) and the Scaloppine al Vino Rosso (Veal scaloppine sauteed in a red wine reduction sauce, porcini mushrooms, served with fresh seasonal vegetables). Since veal is also something I order often, I wanted to get a good handle on how they prepare it so I went with the Scaloppine. It was divine. Cooked perfectly, no complaints - and the flavor was fantastic.

Curtain call: we could not decide and ended up with two desserts for the table. First was a classic: Tiramisu (One of Francoli Gourmet's specialties. Made freshly every day. Lady fingers soaked in Illy Espresso coffee, layered with Mascarpone cream and topped with cocoa powder) and next was something I'd seen on menus but never tried: Tartufo (A round form of fantasy creams covered with soft chocolate cream. Rolled in chopped praline nuts and covered with powdered cocoa). Both were very good and I'd recommend either or both if you're in the mood for dessert.

Overall, SO happy we ended up at Francoli over Haven. SO happy.

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jaydotess

Joined 5 years ago

uahhh...yummy.... This is my favorite ITALIAN restaurant!!! It is great for Casual/Fine Dining.It is located inside of Fashion Island, Newport Beach. I love the atmosphere, wooden chairs and wooden tables, and all the pretty and interesting decorations (You can also buy them!!! lol.) Well, i have just had a wonderful night there..(Thank you again for those who showed up<3)

What I have always liked about Italian Restaurants is that they always have unlimited bread! At Francoli, they also serve bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Their Food is a little bit pricey, but tastes wonderful~!!! I love how they cook their pasta. Their pasta is never over cooked like all the other places and their sauce is never too strong. So for some people, they might want to add some salt and pepper. Also their fresh salads are something that I definitely recommend you to try.

More...

Price: Salad - $7.00~$12.00

Other dishes - $17.00~$27.00

Hours : Sunday - Thursday:

9:00 am - 9:30 pm

Friday - Saturday:

9:00 am - 10:00 pm

Italian Breakfast served daily

Between 9:00 am - 12pm

*They do not take reservations.

Try this place for some special occasions.

Cleanliness [rating:90/100]

Menu [rating:90/100]

Decor [rating:80/100]

Quality [rating:90/100]

Price [rating:60/100]

[rating:overall]

Credit Cards: Yes

Fine Dining: No

Casual Dining: Yes

Fast Food/Specialty: No

Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner: B, L, D

Pricing: $$

Reservations Accepted: No

To-Go: Yes

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Leigh Reason

Joined 8 years ago

Family Italian bistro and well-stocked gourmet shop in one at Newport's Fashion Island.. In Short
The black wrought iron tables on their expansive patio spill out into the courtyard of Fashion Island; inside boasts honey brown wood fixtures, Italian ceramics and recessed lighting. An espresso bar can be found next to their full Italian deli and gourmet shop that sells oils, vinegars, wines and pottery. Northern Italian menu includes seafood linguine, meat lasagna, a beef and arugula panini and a sliced, grilled steak. Breakfast features omelettes and pastries.