Shelley Taylor
Tarcisio's
Published on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 by Shelley TaylorRead More Taylor
TARCISIO'S
609 W Washington Street
683.5809
Open daily at 7a.m.
Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner
$$/$$$
Tarcisio's. Just like that famous meeting place in Casablanca, sooner or later everybody goes to Tarcisio's. If you're already a patron, go on, think of all the people you know that you've run into there.
And just like that beer with the funny name, everyone has their favorite pronunciation. I've heard it pronounced Tar-siss-ios. But I talked to the owner and for the official last word....think cheese: Tar-cheesios!
Although the restaurant was born in 1987, the baby of Tarcisio Miglia, three years later it was bought by the Wellmans who still own it today.
The place has that family Italian restaurant feel with plenty of straw covered wine bottles, lots of greens and reds, and a large wall mural of the Venice canals. And booths. I love booths - it not only gives you a clean place to put your purse and a bit of privacy but a bit of elbow room. And a lefty like me needs it. Usually I have to pick my seat strategically so I don't gore the ribs of the person next to me.
To add to the dining experience, music quietly plays in the background. It's usually the soundtrack to a favorite movie and drives me crazy 'cause I can never quite place which one.
The heart of any Italian restaurant menu has got to be its sauces. And just like every apple pie recipe has it's own flavor and consistency, so it is with red sauces. I must say I'm not a particular fan of Tarcisio's red sauce - it's a bit on the acidic side, but my hubby likes it just fine. It doesn't matter, there are so many other choices on the menu that are good.
When I order pasta there, I ask for the Garden Medley which is full of fresh vegetables sauteed in garlic and olive oil over a bed of angel hair. Every once in a while the broccoli - one of my favorite vegetables - is a little tired; but still this is my favorite Tarcisio's pasta dish. My hubby really enjoys their Italian sausage link served over rigatoni - fat hollow noodles that hold lots of sauce.
If you're a big eater and like variety, I suggest the "Tarcisio's Duo's" where you can have any two of your favorite pastas: spaghetti, tortellini, ravioli, lasagna, cheese manicotti, or beef cannelloni with your choice of either Italian and/or Alfredo sauce. Ever try mixing the two? Try it.
For fish lovers, they offer smoked salmon fettuccini and prawns; either in pesto sauce sauteed in fresh garlic with white wine, mushrooms, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Or, have your prawns sauteed and placed on a bed of fettucini Alfredo.
Dinners come with garlic bread, soup and antipasto salad. I ask for and get plain bread but I'm usually well into my pasta before I get my hands on it. The antipasto salad includes a slice of cheese and salami, so vegetarians should make a point of asking for the dinner salad. If you request, they'll bring you Caesar dressing - even if you haven't ordered the Caesar Salad. Their full size salads are great for lunch. For soup, they always offer minestrone but daily specials can be beef and veggie or cream based. And on Fridays they serve clam chowder. I like the minestrone but it too is a little on the acidic side. So I follow the suggestion of a personal chef friend of mine and add just a dash of sugar. It works.
And then there is pizza.
There's the traditional pizza sauce but also your choice of Alfredo, pesto, BBQ or garlic ranch. And more toppings than Carter has pills including vegetables, pineapple, meats, and fish and feta cheese besides the standard mozzarella. They have their own specials but you can combo to your heart's content. I like the "original" pizza pie and add fresh tomatoes on top. They don't necessarily offer a choice in the thickness of the crust, but if you ask they'll do their best to make it on the thin side if that's your preference.
Oh, and if you like a show with your meal, you can watch the cooks do that "aerial" twirl of the pizza dough in their "built like a stage" kitchen.
Tarcisio's offers beers, wines and mixed drinks in addition to specialty Italian sodas.
For your sugar fix, in addition to ice cream and classic New York cheesecake there's Tiramisu. I know, it sounds Japanese but it's classic Itallian - a wonderful concoction of rum soaked lady fingers filled with mascarpone cheese. Delish. They even offer a root beer float.
But one of the best kept secrets is a Tarcisio breakfast. Some of our friends make it a breakfast tradition. It's becoming one of ours too. Being an Italian eatery they have a frittata with prosciutto ham but their Dream Omelette made with Italian sauce, peppers, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese is an original breakfast feast. They serve pancakes and waffles, but they do a great job with regular 'ol eggs (and egg beaters) and yummy fried potatoes. I usually break my diet and order bacon and they follow my instructions to a T: I want it cooked so crisp it shatters like Turkish taffy.
609 W Washington Street
683.5809
Open daily at 7a.m.
Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner
$$/$$$
Tarcisio's. Just like that famous meeting place in Casablanca, sooner or later everybody goes to Tarcisio's. If you're already a patron, go on, think of all the people you know that you've run into there.
And just like that beer with the funny name, everyone has their favorite pronunciation. I've heard it pronounced Tar-siss-ios. But I talked to the owner and for the official last word....think cheese: Tar-cheesios!
Although the restaurant was born in 1987, the baby of Tarcisio Miglia, three years later it was bought by the Wellmans who still own it today.
The place has that family Italian restaurant feel with plenty of straw covered wine bottles, lots of greens and reds, and a large wall mural of the Venice canals. And booths. I love booths - it not only gives you a clean place to put your purse and a bit of privacy but a bit of elbow room. And a lefty like me needs it. Usually I have to pick my seat strategically so I don't gore the ribs of the person next to me.
To add to the dining experience, music quietly plays in the background. It's usually the soundtrack to a favorite movie and drives me crazy 'cause I can never quite place which one.
The heart of any Italian restaurant menu has got to be its sauces. And just like every apple pie recipe has it's own flavor and consistency, so it is with red sauces. I must say I'm not a particular fan of Tarcisio's red sauce - it's a bit on the acidic side, but my hubby likes it just fine. It doesn't matter, there are so many other choices on the menu that are good.
When I order pasta there, I ask for the Garden Medley which is full of fresh vegetables sauteed in garlic and olive oil over a bed of angel hair. Every once in a while the broccoli - one of my favorite vegetables - is a little tired; but still this is my favorite Tarcisio's pasta dish. My hubby really enjoys their Italian sausage link served over rigatoni - fat hollow noodles that hold lots of sauce.
If you're a big eater and like variety, I suggest the "Tarcisio's Duo's" where you can have any two of your favorite pastas: spaghetti, tortellini, ravioli, lasagna, cheese manicotti, or beef cannelloni with your choice of either Italian and/or Alfredo sauce. Ever try mixing the two? Try it.
For fish lovers, they offer smoked salmon fettuccini and prawns; either in pesto sauce sauteed in fresh garlic with white wine, mushrooms, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Or, have your prawns sauteed and placed on a bed of fettucini Alfredo.
Dinners come with garlic bread, soup and antipasto salad. I ask for and get plain bread but I'm usually well into my pasta before I get my hands on it. The antipasto salad includes a slice of cheese and salami, so vegetarians should make a point of asking for the dinner salad. If you request, they'll bring you Caesar dressing - even if you haven't ordered the Caesar Salad. Their full size salads are great for lunch. For soup, they always offer minestrone but daily specials can be beef and veggie or cream based. And on Fridays they serve clam chowder. I like the minestrone but it too is a little on the acidic side. So I follow the suggestion of a personal chef friend of mine and add just a dash of sugar. It works.
And then there is pizza.
There's the traditional pizza sauce but also your choice of Alfredo, pesto, BBQ or garlic ranch. And more toppings than Carter has pills including vegetables, pineapple, meats, and fish and feta cheese besides the standard mozzarella. They have their own specials but you can combo to your heart's content. I like the "original" pizza pie and add fresh tomatoes on top. They don't necessarily offer a choice in the thickness of the crust, but if you ask they'll do their best to make it on the thin side if that's your preference.
Oh, and if you like a show with your meal, you can watch the cooks do that "aerial" twirl of the pizza dough in their "built like a stage" kitchen.
Tarcisio's offers beers, wines and mixed drinks in addition to specialty Italian sodas.
For your sugar fix, in addition to ice cream and classic New York cheesecake there's Tiramisu. I know, it sounds Japanese but it's classic Itallian - a wonderful concoction of rum soaked lady fingers filled with mascarpone cheese. Delish. They even offer a root beer float.
But one of the best kept secrets is a Tarcisio breakfast. Some of our friends make it a breakfast tradition. It's becoming one of ours too. Being an Italian eatery they have a frittata with prosciutto ham but their Dream Omelette made with Italian sauce, peppers, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese is an original breakfast feast. They serve pancakes and waffles, but they do a great job with regular 'ol eggs (and egg beaters) and yummy fried potatoes. I usually break my diet and order bacon and they follow my instructions to a T: I want it cooked so crisp it shatters like Turkish taffy.
© 2009 Sequim Gazette. All rights reserved. 147 West Washington, Sequim, WA 98382 • 360.683.3311 • Email the Webmaster