Fasano's Restaurant Recalls Old Issaquah

----------------------------------------------------------------- Restaurant review

Fasano's Restaurant, 80 Front St. N., Issaquah, 392-6923. Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Lounge. Major credit cards accepted. -----------------------------------------------------------------

A hungry person can find good, hearty food in the heart of downtown Issaquah. On the east side of Front Street, flagged by a prominent orange sign, stands Fasano's Restaurant.

Owned by Bill and Wilma Clevett, who took over from the original owners, Fasano's captures the spirit of an older Issaquah. At the front entrance hangs an aerial-view watercolor of early Front Street

The menu, with dinners ranging from $6.95 to $13.95, offers seven Italian dishes plus traditional American foods, including steaks and chicken. But there also are good contemporary offerings, like the jalapeno peppers appetizer ($3.95).

The kitchen creates marvelous dishes at moderate prices for customers who haven't time for pretense and pomp.

Roast pork is prepared properly, just-done yet still moist and tender. Texas-style pork ribs ($8.95) highlight the menu.

A tangy Texas barbecue sauce accompanies pork meals, along with homemade baked beans, also offered with many of the entrees.

Fasano's barbecued pork sandwich ($5.95), a lunch item, arrives with a cup of barbecue sauce for dipping. The tomato-based sauce is perfect with the generous, lean, thin-sliced pork and bun.

At first the Eastsider ($5.95) seems like an average hamburger, with salad and fries. But this is a burger the diner doesn't forget, because the meat, cooking and presentation are all superb.

Fasano's grills meat to seal in the juices and flavor. The ground sirloin patty is topped with cheese and served on French bread. The meal comes au jus or with barbecue sauce. Other lunch items ($3.95 to $8.95) include more burgers, salads, sandwiches and fish and chips.

Fasano's breakfasts deserve a mention. The restaurant presents the routine breakfast meats and eggs plus several omelets, specialty breakfasts and eggs Benedict. The Italian omelet incorporates some tasty Italian sausage besides mushrooms and marinara sauce. Steak-and-eggs runs $6.95, the highest priced breakfast item.

To satisfy a sweet tooth or to finish off a meal, there's pie and ice cream. There's also a delicious homemade strawberry shortcake ($2.50) made with old-fashioned biscuit dough, which gives it less fat and sugar and no egg.

Health-conscious diners will appreciate the use of cholesterol-free canola oil in all of the restaurant's cooking.

The 9:30 p.m. closing time is only approximate, depending on business that evening. The lounge remains open longer and sometimes features live entertainment.

Fasano's has three completely separate rooms: dining room, coffee shop and lounge. With its own garden and waterfall, the dining room is lovely and service is more formal.