Back to its roots
By Todd Lyon
From the New Haven Register
 | | Trish Consiglio-Perotti holds Veal Asparagus inside the New Haven restaurant.Mara Lavitt/Register photo |
Still standing tall, Consiglio’s remains a familiar face in the Elm City
With all the new restaurants flashing their bold cuisines and clamoring for attention, a person sometimes forgets about old favorites in town. That person would, in this case, be me, and the old favorite would be Consiglio’s on Wooster Street.
It’s been around for so long — since 1938, if you count its original incarnation — and the last time I was there was 10 years ago, when I dined with Mayor DeStefano. Last week I returned to the scene (this time, Jared from the Subway commercials was there, eating lasagna, but not at my table). And I fell in love with the place all over again.
Consiglio’s looks beautiful these days. It’s not at all trendy or flashy, but it isn’t fuddy-duddy, either. Rather, it has a golden glow that speaks of age and quality. I was there with Kay (the mom) and Hayward (the boyfriend) on a windy night, and we were glad down to our toes to be welcomed to a candlelit table with a view of Wooster Street.
The menu is classic New Haven Italian: superb Clams Casino, superior Calamari (with crowns, the way God intended them to be fried), Broccoli Rabe and Sausage, Eggplant Parmigiana, Zuppi di Pesce, plus a few modernized dishes like Filet Mignon Gorgonzola and Veal Asparagus, and dishes you hardly ever see, like Homemade Cavatelli and Braciola — a soul-satisfying dish of hand-rolled pasta and tender beef braciola.
"The cavatelli and braciola is one of our oldest dishes," says Trish Consiglio-Perrotti, who is now the official owner of Consiglio’s. In fact, it is one of the dishes that Salvatore and Annunziata Consiglio served at The Big Apple, the restaurant they and their seven children opened across the street from where Consiglio’s now stands.
"We believe that Consiglio’s is the oldest restaurant in New Haven that’s been continuously run by the same family," explains Trish. She herself started working at her family restaurant at the age of 13, as a busgirl. "I worked here all through high school and college until I was 21," she recalls. That’s when she went West — to Southern California and Dallas, where she grew a career in property management. Shortly after her return in 1990, she and her sister Laura legally took over Consiglio’s. "My parents were talking about selling the restaurant," says Trish. "Laura and I decided to give up our other careers and keep the restaurant in the family."
The sisters proceeded to update the look of Consiglio’s. "We gave it a facelift," she recalls, "and spiffed everything up, right down to the silverware." She explains that her elders had been using paper placemats and mismatched flatware that they got for free from a linen company. "We turned it around," says Trish.
Five years ago, however, the sisters turned Consiglio’s around a little too much: They hired a young chef to update the menu and add trendy new items. The customers weren’t happy. "There was such an uproar, it took us a good two years to recover from that," says Trish with a laugh. "They wanted the old stuff — the lasagna, the Italian Kitchen Pasta."
Laura left a year ago to pursue commercial real estate; other than that, things are pretty much as they’ve always been at Consiglio’s. Trish’s 82-year-old father, Pasquale (known to all as "Pat"), still shows up every day to sweep the sidewalk and keep things tidy. "When he answers the phone here he says, ‘I’m just the janitor,’" smiles Trish. He’s part of a crew that has been fiercely loyal to Consiglio’s; Trish mentions beloved staffers who have worked there for more than a decade. These days, they’re joined by Laura’s daughter, Lindsey, who waitresses during the summer and who represents the fourth generation of Consiglios.
"We have customers who have been coming here for 40 years," says Trish. "Some of them remember when my aunt was waiting tables and wouldn’t let anybody order meat on Fridays. Most of them remember the food, and they always say that it’s just as good as it was back in the day.
That doesn’t surprise me one bit: Consiglio’s is a treasure, a real old-fashioned Italian restaurant with modern ideas about service, freshness and quality. I’ll be back, and I suggest that you, too, treat yourself to a meal there soon. And don’t worry. It will still be there.
Todd Lyon of New Haven is a freelance writer. Contact her at toddlyon@earthlink.net.
THE ESSENTIALS
•Place: Consiglio’s, 165 Wooster St., New Haven.
•Phone: (203) 865-4489.
•Web site: www.consiglios.com.
•Hours: Lunch — 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Dinner — 4:30-9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 4:30-10 p.m.Saturdays; 1-9 p.m. Sundays.
•Note: Consiglio’s will be open for dinner on Easter Sunday.
•Reservations: Recommended.
•Food: A warm, polished dining room on historic Wooster Street offers superb examples of "New Haven Italian" cookery by a family that’s been continuously in operation since 1938. At dinner, classic dishes like Broccoli Rabe and Sausage ($9.95 for an app. portion) and Homemade Cavatelli and Braciola ($21.95) join updated dishes like Filet Mignon Gorgonzola ($30.95) and Veal Asparagus ($22.95). Regulars particularly enjoy the Italian Kitchen Pasta ($18.95), Eggplant Parmigana ($18.95), Sole and Shrimp Florentine ($22.95), Italian Peasant Pork ($21.95) and other old-fashioned, highly flavorful choices. Entrees are served with a nice little salad and excellent bread; side dishes are also available, i.e. meatballs ($3.95), sauteed spinach ($3.95), pasta with olive oil and garlic ($3.95) and more. At lunch, a nearly identical menu offers smaller portions and reduced prices. Most desserts are made in-house; we thoroughly enjoyed a homemade crepe filled with vanilla ice cream, fresh berries and bananas and hot fudge ($7.50).
•Vegetarianism: Vegans will be disappointed, but there are many dishes made without red meat.
•Drink: A full bar specializes in martinis; I tried a Pama Martini, made with pomegranate liqueur, and it was deeeelicious. A well-balanced wine list highlights bottles from Italy ($28-$80), with plenty of other choices, mostly from California.
•Wheelchair access: Through the side door, with one step up; staffers will gladly lend a hand, if needed. Restrooms are accessible.
•Credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, Amex, Diner’s Club.
•Parking: Free in a parking lot across the street; turn on Brown Street, second lot on the right. The lot is attended on Saturday nights.
•Private parties: Consiglio’s is a favorite spot for rehearsal dinners, showers, birthday parties and even small weddings; the small bar area has a fireplace that makes a great backdrop.
•And don’t miss: On Monday nights, Consiglio’s is offering half-price entrees for "industry" people, i.e. those who work in restaurants, bars, hotels, etc.
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