Emilio Ristorante Marks 31 Years With New Fall Menu!

The enthusiasm can be felt as soon as you enter the door of the vintage 100-year- old house that has been home to Emilio Ristorante for more than 30 years. The sight of the lavish antipasto table laden titillates your palate immediately. Mama Lidia Brasesco, still presiding over the establishment she founded with her husband Chef Emilio back in 1979, is working the premises daily and preparing the fresh pastas that have become legendary in these parts. And son Sergio Brasesco, who took over management of the restaurant in 1991, works the floor, bringing his unbridled excitement to every table.

Marking entry into their 31st year, the Brasesco family has premiered a new fall/winter menu filled with classic regional Italian comfort foods, fresh housemade pastas, roasts and seasonal game. Through the years Emilio's has become a destination restaurant and recent tastings here continue to propel my palate to foodie heaven!

The sturdy kitchen is overseen by Lidia and Sergio and is in the talented hands of Chef de cuisine Michele and sous chef Anthony. Choices on the menu often included the Italian town or region of derivation for extra authenticity. And what a tasty tour of Italy it is...

Great starters right now include helpings from their popular fresh antipasto table some of which is brought to your table on  a rolling cart. Antipasti di Salumi (Emilia-Romagna), is a wide assortment of prosciutto di Parma, culatello, speck, sopresata and parmigiano cheese wedges; Polenta al Forno (Emilia-Romagna), creamy polenta baked with asparagus spears and melted Fontina cheese; a wonderful fresh made Cotachino con Lenticchia (Emiglia-Romagna), traditional sweet sausage wrapped in light puff pastry and roasted, thinly sliced, served over lentils; Insalata di Carciofi (Lazio), Roman style artichokes with sunflower-citrus vinaigrette over arugula with shaved ricotta salata cheese; and Rucola e Bresaola (Valtellina), cured beef thinly sliced, served with baby arugula, shaved parmigiano, sprinkled with white truffle oil for good measure.

Signora Lidia's fresh pastas include: Linguine al Filetto, with a house plum tomato basil sauce; one of my favorites this time of the year, Pappardelle con Cingiale (Umbria), a flavorful ragu of wild boar with light touch of tomato, herbs and parmigiano cheese over wide ribbon pasta; Panzerotti Salso Nochi (Liguria), luxurious handmade ricotta- and Swiss chard-filled pillows served in a walnut cream sauce; Agnolotti di Bue (Toscana), her decadent handmade 'big bellied' ravioli stuffed with braised beef short ribs and parmigiano, served in its own beef sauce; Pasta con Salsiccia (Puglia), sweet sausage browned with olive oil, herbs, sweet bell peppers, fresh tomato and pecorino; Paglia e Fieno Piselli (Lombardia), green and white linguine served in a sauce of gorgonzola cheese, prosciutto and peas; and Canelloni della Lidia, fresh sheets of pasta rolled and stuffed with veal, spinach, ricotta and parmigiano, baked with flavorful besciamella and meat sauce. Indulgences all!

Carni e Pesci specialties include: Costata di Vitello (Emilia-Romagna), a hefty domestic milk-fed rib chop grilled with fresh rosemary, whole garlic, olive oil and white wine; Branzino al Forno (Liguria), whole roasted fresh Mediterranean sea bass filleted tableside; Bocconcini di Vitello (Marche), scaloppini of veal breaded and stuffed with prosciutto cotto and fresh mozzarella, roasted with fresh tomato; simply delicious Gamberi al Limone (Sicilia), large Tiger shrimp roasted with citrus olive oil, whole garlic and chili flakes over cannellini; Galetto al Forno (Piemonte), whole Hudson Valley poussin brushed with olive oil and herbs, stuffed with dried figs and chestnut, breadcrumbs and roasted; and Arrosto di Pollo Balsamico, half chicken roasted with fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar glaze with crimini mushroom caps. Choices of fin fish change daily and verbal specialties augment the regular menu.

At lunch the house offers several types of panini sandwiches such as the Panino Emilio: veal cutlet Milanese with baby arugula, shaved parmigiano cheese and tomato; or Panino di Legumi: eggplant, zucchini, roasted peppers, fresh mozzerella and baby arugula.

There is a changing fresh dessert selection prepared by Chef Vincent Meme's Bakery. The formidable wine list contains over 312 vintages, with 18 selections by the glass and 14 different quartinos available every day.

Special Hint: Calendar of events for September include a fine 3-course dinner for $31, in honor of their anniversary. It is served Tuesday-Thursday.  There is a new Emilio on the Go Menu offering take home meals and catering. And on Sept. 30, Emilio will hold its kick-off wine dinner of the new season starting at 7 pm. The four course meal will be paired with new additions to the wine list. Cost is $54 per person before tax and gratuity and reservations are a must.

Emilio Ristorante is located at 1 Colonial Place, Harrison, just off Harrison Avenue. The restaurant serves lunch Tuesday-Friday, noon to 2:30 p.m. Main courses at lunch: $9 to $24. Dinner is served Tuesday thru Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday to 10:30 p.m.; Sundays 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Main courses at dinner: $18 to $39. Cocktails and bar. Private party and meeting facilities for up to 80 guests. Off premise catering service and take out. Major credit cards. Proper casual dress. Ample free parking. Reservations accepted. Phone: 914-835-3100. www.emilioristorante.com

(Morris Gut is a restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the dining scene in greater Westchester for more than 25 years. He may be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net)