Gnocchi of the Gods: Franco’s Ristorante, Bridgeport

Gnocchi of the Gods: Franco’s Ristorante, Bridgeport

I’ve never been knocked out by gnocchi, until last night. At Franco’s Ristorante in Bridgeport, I realized that all of the rolled potato pasta I’d had in the past were but prelude to the pinnacle achieved by this preparation, and that I had eaten these pale reflections of true Gnocchi as though in a restaurant darkly, unaware of how good such saucy spud balls could be.

So often, I find gnocchi to be pasty, gooey, and not bad in a Bohemian dumpling kind of way – but all heretofore existing gnocchi were nothing like the ethereal pillows served to me in a light marinara at Franco’s. Biting through them, there was only gentle resistance as teeth traversed the creamy though firm flesh of each tender button of tuber and flour, the quintessence of potato rolled into a ball. The sauce was suitably soft, so as not to weigh down the zero-gravity pasta clouds and hinder their ascent as they rose above the material world to become one with the Platonic Ideal of all gnocchi.

The veal was pretty good, too.

Franco’s Ristorante
300 W. 31st Street
(312) 225-9566

Great gnooci at Metro Pizza on division. If you like them lite and melt in tour mouth texture this is the place. Try the four cheese its so rich its like sinning.

this seems so obvious and discussed before, but have you not tried the gnocchi at A Tavola on West Chicago Ave. in Ukranian Village? It's dreamy and subtle and simple--only dressed in a sage and browned butter sauce. I remember eating it and thinking, if I ever had to give someone the taste of autumn in a non-cloying pumpkin based kind of way, the gnocchi at A Tavola would be what I would fork into someone's mouth. Little pillows all the way! Thanks for the tip on Franco's--they mentioned it in the Reader this week but I don't recall any mention of the gnocchi.

bjt

bjt wrote:this seems so obvious and discussed before, but have you not tried the gnocchi at A Tavola on West Chicago Ave. in Ukranian Village? It's dreamy and subtle and simple--only dressed in a sage and browned butter sauce. I remember eating it and thinking, if I ever had to give someone the taste of autumn in a non-cloying pumpkin based kind of way, the gnocchi at A Tavola would be what I would fork into someone's mouth.

Sage and browned butter sounds like an excellent way to dress this little potato clouds. Pumpkin, though, I'm not so sure about...I could be convinced.

bjt wrote:this Thanks for the tip on Franco's--they mentioned it in the Reader this week but I don't recall any mention of the gnocchi.

Oh, I'm sure I did.

A Tavola is excellent as well . Metro pizza on division is on par and the reason I suggested it is because it's a quick meal. Its made to order in a casual atmosphere great takeout or eat in diner style. They deliver too. If the kitchen is on wow! their as good as it gets. The rosemary potatoe pizza slices are pretty good too. Trevia had good gnoochi too but they changed their menu.

Franco's Ristorante Will Open Again In November (Despite What Google Says)

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151008 ... oogle-says

You know...i drove by today and felt really bad that ive never set foot in that place and i thought it had finally closed for good. Glad to hear that itll open back up in a month!

But has anyone else from the board eaten here?