May 17th - Pasqualinos - Bryson City

PASQUALINOA = BRYSON CITY DOWNTOWN

 This week we met at Pasqualinos in downtown Bryson City. I dont know the owners real name, I just call him Pasquali. His wife is Nancy Bright who is originally from Bryson City. They are both fabulous folks and Boy! can that Pasquali cook! The restaurant is located in the old two story Belk Building.
I used to love going to Belk. It was two story with fabrics, household items and notions downstairs. I loved going down the stairs into the basement. I remember feeling like really something when moma would take me to Belks. Since it was the biggest store in Bryson, it felt like going to the big city. The shoe department was very small and right inside the back door. The man would measure my feet with one of those metal sliding foot measuring things. Then if I could find a pair of shoes I liked and were available in my size, I would try them on and look at my feet in one of those floor model slanted mirrors. I used to love watching myself walking away as it always looked like I was walking uphill. It was the simple pleasures back then. Actually it still is. Sometimes I am like Charlene on Designing Women... I have "the ability to be completely and utterly fascinated with absolutely nothing."

Anyway.. back to the evening. What can I say? Fabulous as usual. Nancy wasn't there tonite, only Pasquali and the boys. When we arrived, there were only a couple of tables filled. After we had been there for just about 10 minutes or so, the place began to fill up quickly. Large groups of folks traipsed in and the place became noisier and busier. There were only two wait persons so we had to wait to times for refills, etc. But not to worry as we were too busy talking to be annoyed or put out.

Greg was able to join us tonite and he gave us the update on his weekend in Oklahoma and Kansas. There was no wedding due to the grooms stupid behavior and the intelligence of the bride to call it off. Anywho.. he also did not get to sing in Kansas as the drum was too little and there were too many singers around it. But he did get to visit with his family, so that always makes him happy. I have discovered that I am going to have to get my 411 from someone else in the  family, as Greg does not make a good gossip. I had several questions about the "goings on" back home, and he always responded "I didn't ask". " DIDN'T ASK!

??!!" What the hey? How does one expect to find out anything if they don't ask. More importantly, how does one expect to find out anything and report it back to the wife, if they don't ask? I am going to have to talk to one of the brothers... 

Back to Pasqualinos..... the inside of the restaurant, which is only on the top floor of the building is a great place for a romantic or private dinner. It has dim lighting, with Italian decor all around, but not too overdone. A nice bar runs the entire side of one wall, behind which are the cooks and the wine selection. So you get the experience of watching (somewhat) the cooks prepare your meal. Some of the cooks have been there since the restaurant opened. Pasquali is ALWAYS there, and will often come out onto the floor to meet and greet and inquire as to the satisfaction of your meal. When it is not busy, you can also often find him sitting outside on one of the benches. 

ITS NOT REALLY THIS DARK INSIDE.. JUST CAMERA WOULDNT TAKE A  GOOD  PIC. 

The tables are very tastefully done with white cloth tablecloths under burgandy ones. A small candle light, green cloth napkins, bread plates, and water glasses also adorn the tables. The chairs are ones you might find in a family's dinning room, wooden, wide seats with arms. Very comfortable. 

Each table is served a basket of homemade mini baguettes and a house special dipping sauce that has an olive oil base. I am not sure of all the ingredients, but it does have Worcestershire sauce, peppers, maybe vinegar and garlic. I am not sure what else it has but it is TASTY! The best I've had in any Italian restaurant. It has a little bite to it which is a great compliment to the bread. 

The sweet tea is very good, Southern sweet but not mid west syrup sweet. Greg and I ordered the Calamari. Calamari is one of my favorites and while the best is typically  found at the beach, Pasqualinos is very good too. Not heavily breaded and a flavorful marinara sauce for dipping. 

CALAMARI WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Lisa and Pam ordered the Artichoke with Prosciutto wraps. I had never had them, but they were quite cute. Looked like cocoons. They were also quite good. Nice, thick rolls or Prosciutto wrapped with generous sections of Artichoke leaves. The portion was very generous also.

ARTICHOKE & PROSCIUTTO WRAPS 

Each meal is served with a salad.Your choice, House or Caesar.  The House salad is basic, but with the bread, dipping sauce and generous portions of entree, any larger salad would require you get a doggie bag for your meal. Especially if you order an appetizer. (Or a baggie dog, if you are an exchange student and happen to be hosted by my brother who you rely on to help with these cultural nuances).  Also the dressings are homemade. Always a plus. 

HOUSE SALAD WITH RANCH

CAESAR SALAD

For the entrees, Lisa ordered the Filet Mignon. Pam ordered the Baked Tortellini with meat sauce. I ordered the Blackened Shrimp Pasta and Greg ordered the Ribeye. The Filet Mignon and Ribeye were specials that night. Pasqualinos has very good steaks, especially their Ribeyes which come plain or your choice of a homemade topping, which are different than what you would find in your chain restaurants. They are consistent in taste, size and flavor.

FILET MIGON WITH SIDE OF PASTA

BAKED TORTELLINI WITH MEAT SAUCE

BLACKENED SHRIMP PASTA

RIBEYE WITH PASTA SIDE

 The steaks come with a side of pasta, your choice of Marinara or Alfredo sauce. The portions are generous and the food is very very good., Loads of flavor, nicely presented, hot, right off the grill. 

CHEESECAKE WITH CARAMEL, CHOCOLATE, & RASPBERRY SAUCES

For dessert, Greg and Pam decided to split a cheescake. The cheesecake normally comes with your choice of Chocolate, Raspberry or Caramel sauce. Pam requested all three on the side. She liked the Caramel the best. The Chocolate tasted like Hersheys ( which I am not opposed to), and the Raspberry was Gregs favorite. The cheesecake was tall and very creamy and delicious. I do love a good cheesecake. Most tastes like it just came out of the freezer. You know.. I should have asked if they made theirs. 

Now to the good stuff. Our conversation this evening was very interesting. I told my story of my run in with the Duke Power sprayers this evening, who killed my Flowering Cherry tree by hacking it with a machete and then spraying it. By the end of the encounter, I had reimbursement for my tree, the tree cut down below the spray line to hopefully save it, and my invasive trumpet vine sprayed. I won't go into too many details of the conversation as it would be rated R. I think between me and my two dogs, Snuffle and Popi, we scared the two Mexican workers to death as they were "gitting it" down the driveway when they caught glace behind them of me, Snuffle and Popi hot on their heels.

The conversation then moved on to a show on TLC called "My Big, Fat American Gypsy Wedding." If you get a chance to see that...do. For some reason, I am completely fascinated (refere to previous comment above) with the Gypsys that are on that show. They feature a  different family or community every week. I just never knew there was such a large population of Gypsys living all over the US. They are treated many times, like the Native Americans were treated.. or mistreated I should say. I myself don't think I have ever encountered a Gypsy. Or if I did, I was not aware of their ethnicity. I must say.. they do spend a great deal of money on their wives and daughters. Every time I watch that show, I just have more and more questions, though.  Lisa shared her experience with Gypsy's while traveling in Rome. Pam, who had never watched the show, seemed to be intrigued. I know I am.
Lisa then informed us that one of the Swamp Men had died suddenly.MItchell Guist, one of the bearded brothers, fell overboard - dead. He would be turning 49 in a few days. The death was either heart attack or seizure. This man does not look 48. He looks more like 68. That is sad and I am sure his brother, Glenn who was on the show with him is very sad. 

Pam  then  posed the first of her many questions that night, by asking us what is our favorite movie.She started out by asking about our favorite of all time, but she eventually had to qualify that by our current favorite as all of our choices had changed over the years.
 Lisa's was Yentl (1983), starring Barbara Streisand. Greg's was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). This movice was based on the short story, "The Sobbin' Woman." Jane Powell was one of the Seven Brides as was Julie Newmar. What can you say about Julie Newmar? A lot, but you have to include that she was statuesque. She was the object of much adoration in "To Wong Foo, thanks for everything!, Julie Newmar" starring Patrick Swayze (Vide Boheme), Wesley Snipes ( Noxeema Jackson) and John Leguizamo (Chi-Chi Rodriguez). I LOVED that movie. That was freaking  hilarious. I love Sheriff Dollard, who Vida kept calling Sheriff Dullard.

Oops! Rabbit trail.... 

My favorite movie is To Kill a Mockingbird. I love that move and is one I can watch over and over. This movie was based on the novel by Harper Lee, who was quite eccentric and a close friend of Truman Capote. That explains a lot.. if you have ever read Truman Capotes books. I happen to love them. 

To Kill a Mockingbird (book) was Harper Lees only book and won a Pulitzer Prize. The movie starred Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. He won an Oscar for this role. The movie also was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Mary Badham, who played Scout. Most of you may not know that Robert Duvall was Boo Radley, the scary next door neighbor who was bigger than life in the  tales that were told of him around the neighborhood, especially by the children. Pam and I both always wanted to find a tree with treasure in it. And who could forget Dill, the visiting little silly boy, who continually told tall tales about his daddy to make up for the fact that he was always absent. 

Pam's favorite movie  was anything with Bette Davis in it. I happen to love Bette Davis movies too.  You can see them on TCM, which I watch a lot. Why is it that actors/actresses back in the 1950's and 60's always did everything? They acted, danced, sang... and did it with style and grace. They also did it without cussing like they were raised in the pits of hell, showing us in great detail who they were having sex with at the moment, or blowing up buildings, entire city blocks, or screwing over someone close to them. Movies today, are pretty much garbage and not worth watching. And now that the shock factor has pretty much reached its pinnacle, where is there to go? What happened to the basic movie with a story and funny real life moments along the way? Who decided that type of movie was no longer in style? Whoever it was.. is now the one making all the reality TV shows, and cartoons for adults. I, for one, do not care one whit about what a bunch of idiotic teenagers living in New Jersey are doing. From what little I have seen, they are doing a whole bunch of nothing. And now have reached celebrity status based on nothing more than sleeping til noon, having sex with anything that will stay still long enough, fighting amongst each other, people on the street, tanning til they look like a piece of baked cow hide, spending money on shoes, clothes, hair products,  music, and sitting around thinking up names to call themselves so they can sound cool.
Rabbit Trail..sorry.  

Pam also posed other questions to us ( I am not sure that's legal). But we elected to answer them next week as they were too difficult to answer tonite. She asked us "If we were porn stars, what would our stage name be?' (Where does she come up with this stuff?) The other question was "What was a turning point in our lives?" Greg went ahead an answered her immediately by identifying the night he met me!! NO....JUST KIDDING!! 

His was the night he got alcohol poisoning, died twice in the hospital and made a conscious decision to quit drinking. He just celebrated 19 years of sobriety May 2nd. Fantabulous!! That is certainly something to be proud of. 

We were so stuffed and stiff from sitting there for 2.5 hours, we had to leave. The town was closed up and the streets rolled up when we walked out of the restaurant. But we all agreed... it was a great evening complimented with fantastic food. 

It was Pam's time to draw and she drew The Filling Station. It does not serve dinner but if you ever have a hankering for a good sandwich.. check this place out. It is small., and there is no where to sit except 4 barstools in front of the window. I think the owner has plans to change that with the renovation of Pops Soda Shop next door. They have a whole host of great sandwiches, soups, cookies, and brownies. Good tea too. The diner has a gas station theme. 

Anyway.. back to the draw. Since The Filling Station does not serve dinner, Pam drew again. It looks like The Hemlock Inn next Thursday, May 24th at 6:30. The Hemlock Inn is close to my house. I have eaten there a couple of times. They serve big ole' family style dinners on a round table with a lazy susan middle. They do have a website. Check it out. 

See you next Thursday at 6"30 at The Hemlock Inn.