Café Fresco’s secret to success is variety and consistent quality

• By The Phantom Diner

As I write this, fellow restaurant lovers, at least some level of indoor dining is being restored. Let’s hope the restoration expands and never is restricted again.

Meanwhile, however, your Phantom, like the rest of you, adapted during December’s usually-busiest celebratory three-week holiday stretch, and enjoyed restaurant dining via takeout.

It’s just not the same, as you know. But when indoor isn’t available, or advisable, takeout has to do. Not that it’s awful. Some people actually prefer it, and many others might prefer it for at least for a bit longer, depending on comfort levels and coronavirus case counts.

So, for me, takeout it was and might be for a while.

Luckily, we’ve got great local places to choose from. In this case, I turned to one of my all-time favorites, for indoor, outdoor and takeout: Café Fresco on Second Street in downtown Harrisburg.

It’s a staple of the city’s “Restaurant Row,” and a standard go-to restaurant for many Central Pennsylvanians.

In operation since 2005, it offers an Asian-influenced menu that has largely stayed unchanged. Its ongoing success suggests it’s serving food that people like and want to eat. Such sustainability is rare, especially in a market and at a time that is so challenging for all restaurants.

Part of Café Fresco’s secret to success is variety. There are hot and cold small plates, salads, dim sum, pizza, entrees, noodles and rice dishes, sandwiches and more. Another part is wonderful specialty cocktails, sake and many microbrewed beers.

The greater part of its success, however, can be attributed to the consistent quality of its food, waitstaff and bar service, which is always top notch.

It also offers, for indoor diners, terrific atmosphere: a sleek, slick and clean design, with wall-side booths and open tables. Its interior was redone in 2019 following some unfortunate damage due to an upstairs water leak, but resulting, when the re-do was done, in a new, sharp downstairs look.

For my most recent takeout, Fresco was offering most of its dinner menu, except for a few items, unfortunately including its excellent sushi specials. Ordering by phone, paying in advance and curbside pick-up was easy. You can also order online.

Classic Fresco small plates dishes among my favorites are mostly in the $11 to $14 range and include Asian Caesar salad with spiced cashews and lots of crispy wonton strips; pear and arugula salad with honey-roasted walnuts and bleu cheese dressing; tuna tartare with sriracha sauce; mahi soft tacos; Thai lettuce wraps with peanut and sweet chili soy sauce; pork spring rolls, and chicken dumplings with sesame soy sauce.

None of these tasty treats has every disappointed. I particularly favor the Asian Caesar, always fresh and large enough for two to share, and the chicken dumplings, which are unerringly delicious.

Entrees range from the low $20’s to the high $30’s, from Pad Thai to filet mignon. They include slow-cooked Mongolian-style short ribs with roasted red beet risotto; Chilean sea bass; sriracha panko salmon with black rice risotto; Kansas City strip steak with crispy Yukon potato wedges; jumbo lump crab cake with home fries, edamame and roasted corn.

Standouts, for my tastes, include seared Ahi tuna with veggies and jasmine rice; cashew chicken and broccoli (even if you don’t like broccoli) with veggies, rice and Chinese brown sauce; lobster fried rice with chorizo, topped with a sunny-side up fried egg; and red curry peanut chicken with wok-seared veggies, water chestnuts and rice.

As of this writing, the restaurant was offering breakfast and lunch takeout and delivery as well as “family style” takeout, the latter consisting of some salads, appetizes and entrees in a serving size for four to six people. Those four to six folks can also order individual desserts and 32-ounce carafes of five different types of martinis.

Café Fresco was created by the late Harrisburg restauranteur Nick Laus (it serves a cocktail named for him: Ketel One vodka over a cranberry ice orb with torched lemon). Laus also brought the city Home 231, Burger Yum and Cork & Fork. Fresco’s current staff and ownership has maintained Laus’ strong commitment to quality food and customer service.

It is not in the least surprising that this downtown gem has shined throughout the dark months of the pandemic. Its performance is simply an extension of its consistent good work during normal times.

 

CAFÉ FRESCO

215 N. Second St., Harrisburg

Open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Check cafefresco.com for take-out info, or call 717-236-2599.