Review – Fulio’s Pastaria-Tuscan Steak, Astoria Oregon

Review – Fulio’s Pastaria-Tuscan Steak, Astoria Oregon

Fulio’s Pastaria-Tuscan Steak 1149 Commercial St, Astoria, OR 97103 Google Map

Fulio’s is not your typical Italian place. It’s a bit of a hole in the wall location. You can easily walk by and not notice it. But inside is has a very nice atmosphere.

They have a nice wine selection and an amply stocked bar. Where Fulio’s shines though is that their food is not the same as every other Italian place in the world. They have some real innovative items on the menu. My personal favorite is sausage with noodles in a mustard cream sauce.

Another good option is almost the same dish, but with tomato cream sauce with no meat. Other options are on the menu, including several original salads and best of all, an ample selection for the vegetarians. Which is amazing in itself considering Astoria qualifies as a small town.

This place is so good that we’ve driven to Astoria several times just for the food and I never go through Astoria without stopping here.


Fulio’s Pastaria-Tuscan Steak, Astoria Oregon

Fulio’s Pastaria-Tuscan Steak, Astoria Oregon

Fulio’s Pastaria-Tuscan Steak 1149 Commercial St, Astoria, OR 97103 [url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1149+Commercial+St,+Astoria,+Clatsop,+Oregon+97103,+United+States&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.737461,71.015625&ie=UTF8&cd=5&geocode=0,46.189014,-123.830952&ll=46.189606,-123.83096&spn=0.006551,0.017338&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=0]Google Map[/url]

Fulio’s is not your typical Italian place. It’s a bit of a hole in the wall location. You can easily walk by and not notice it. But inside is has a very nice atmosphere.

They have a nice wine selection and an amply stocked bar. Where Fulio’s shines though is that their food is not the same as every other Italian place in the world. They have some real innovative items on the menu. My personal favorite is sausage with noodles in a mustard cream sauce.

Another good option is almost the same dish, but with tomato cream sauce with no meat. Other options are on the menu, including several original salads and best of all, an ample selection for the vegetarians. Which is amazing in itself considering Astoria qualifies as a small town.

This place is so good that we’ve driven to Astoria several times just for the food and I never go through Astoria without stopping here.


Potato Leek Soup (Vegan)

Potato Leek Soup (Vegan)

We just created this recipe last night and started it in the Crock Pot.

Ingredients
2 Medium or 4 small red potatoes
4 Medium Leeks
6 small carrots
2 full heads of garlic
3 stalks of celery
1 – 4 quart Pacific Village vegetable stock (House brand of New Seasons Markets)
1 1/2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil
water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cut all vegetables into small chunks. In a frying pan use the olive oil to sauté the leeks, carrots, garlic and celery. This only takes a few minutes. When done the vegetables should still look like veggies, just a bit softer.

Potato Leek Soup (Vegan)

Combine all the ingredients into the slow cooker. Top off with water and cook on low for 8 hours.

Potato Leek Soup (Vegan)

I cheated by using minced garlic for one of the full heads. It’ll freeze well for use in the winter, although I like to freeze the soup then use it as ice in the cooler during camping trips. The recipe is currently vegan, but during a camping trip I’d probably add some kielbasa or pork sausage of some sort for extra proteins and to make the portions go further.

Sausage Jalapeños

Sausage Jalapeños

Ingredients
8-12 large Jalapeños
1/2 pound ground Mild Italian Sausage
1 “tub” of plain Cream Cheese
Strawberry, Blackberry, Marionberry, or Raspberry Jelly (home made of course!)

Directions
Fry sausage in frying pan. Cut Jalapeños in half and gut them out. Discard seeds (or use in my stuffed tomato recipe.) Fill the Jalapeños with the cream cheese. Top with the cooked sausage. Cook in oven at 375 for about 8 minutes, until the sausage is crispy and the cream cheese starts to turn brown. Serve warm with the jelly on the side for dipping.

Variations include using a good Serrano Ham, or chopped Apple/Garlic Andouille sausage instead of the Italian Sausage

Cheese Soup Recipes

Cheese Soup Recipes

No clue where I got the basic recipe from. The Internet surely, but it’s been heavily modified so would be hard to find.

“Basic” Cheese Soup

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup thinly diced celery
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup thinly diced carrots
1/2 cup thinly diced onion
2 tablespoons Parmesan Romano Cheese
5 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
6 Ounces Cheddar Cheese

Melt butter; saute vegetables until done but not browned. Blend in flour. Slowly add chicken or vegetable stock, bring to a boil; cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Blend in cheddar cheese, Parmesan-Romano cheese. Add Salt and Pepper to taste

Beer Cheddar variation
As above, add 1 bottle of beer (Dark Ales are best,) along with the cheese

Meat Variation
Add 1 cup chopped ham (Serrano or other salty thin sliced hams work best,) or 8-12 chopped pieces of Bacon, or 4 chopped Sausages, or one chopped Kielbasa

Extra Cheesy Variation
Add 1/2 Cup White Cheddar, 2 Ounces Blue Cheese, 6 ounces Pepper Jack

Mexican Variation
Add 4-6 chopped Jalapenos or Habaneros – Do NOT Saute and remove seeds to decrease the heat. You can bake them in the oven for 4-6 minutes at 400 to give them a crispy “fire roasted” texture/flavor.

Quick Variation
1 Can of Campbell’s Cheddar Soup prepared as on can
4 Ounces Grated Cheddar Cheese (a large handful)
2 Ounces Grated Jack or Mozzarella

Rick’s Variation
Add 1/2 Cup White Cheddar, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, six cloves of crushed garlic, Tabasco or Dave’s Insanity Sauce to taste