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| Ristorante Fratelli: Drink, Dine and Dance! |
by Gabriela Gonzalez
DownIsland Staff
DownIsland Staff
The phrase “Wine and Dine” acquires new meaning at Ristorante Fratelli, a classy
neo-Italian restaurant where the night is always young and the martinis keep flowing.
And that’s exactly how the owners wanted it when they founded it 2 years ago.
“Our motto is Drink, dine, and dance,” says owner Julio César Bolaño. “The whole
idea is that people come and eat, and then move over to the bar or the patio and
hang out for the rest of the night.”
Located on 310 Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan, Fratelli offers traditional Italian
charm in a cozy, intimate setting. Its warmly-decorated interior with its high arches,
wood trimmings, dim lighting, and white tablecloths create a rustic, yet elegant
ambiance.
Customers can savor a glass of wine while enjoying a house appetizer, like the
Antipasto Misto Italiano –a sampler that includes prosciutto, salami, bresaola,
marinated cheese, and vegetables.
And since Fratelli prides itself of serving creative Italian cuisine, the word “creative”
being key, the menu also offers more interesting choices like the Maduritos Al Pesto E
Pecorino –sweet plaintain “piononos” stuffed with goat cheese and pesto– or the
Lasagna Fritti E Pato Confit, which are crispy lasagna chips with duck confit, fontina
cheese and raspberry sauce.
Those craving traditional Italian food can choose from a variety of different pastas and
risottos. The house dish, the Fratelli pasta, is made with prosciutto, mushrooms, white
wine, fresh tomatoes, cream and smoked mozzarella.
And for those in a party mood, Fratelli’s staff clears out tables to open up some space
in the dining area around midnight so that people can get their groove on.
The music –which had been playing softly in the background during dinner– changes
from classic Italian opera to contemporary lounge music. Later on, as the night
progresses, Latin music begins playing, with favorites like Juanes livening up the
crowd.
Favorite drinks include apple martinis, but the bartender can whip up any kind of
drink, including a special kind of Mojito made with “aguardiente” instead of regular
rum.
Fratelli also features two original house drinks –the Lemoncello Martini and the Sexy
Fratelli– that are sure to cap off the night in style.
“It’s a fun place,” said Andrés Montes, a visitor from New York who’s hanging out with
two friends at the Fratelli bar. “I think we’re gonna do some tequila shots!”
Fratelli opens for dinner everyday after 5:30 p.m. It closes at midnight from Sundays
to Wednesdays and remains open until 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
For more information, call (787) 721-6265, e-mail info@ristorantefratelli.com, or visit
www.ristorantefratelli.com.
neo-Italian restaurant where the night is always young and the martinis keep flowing.
And that’s exactly how the owners wanted it when they founded it 2 years ago.
“Our motto is Drink, dine, and dance,” says owner Julio César Bolaño. “The whole
idea is that people come and eat, and then move over to the bar or the patio and
hang out for the rest of the night.”
Located on 310 Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan, Fratelli offers traditional Italian
charm in a cozy, intimate setting. Its warmly-decorated interior with its high arches,
wood trimmings, dim lighting, and white tablecloths create a rustic, yet elegant
ambiance.
Customers can savor a glass of wine while enjoying a house appetizer, like the
Antipasto Misto Italiano –a sampler that includes prosciutto, salami, bresaola,
marinated cheese, and vegetables.
And since Fratelli prides itself of serving creative Italian cuisine, the word “creative”
being key, the menu also offers more interesting choices like the Maduritos Al Pesto E
Pecorino –sweet plaintain “piononos” stuffed with goat cheese and pesto– or the
Lasagna Fritti E Pato Confit, which are crispy lasagna chips with duck confit, fontina
cheese and raspberry sauce.
Those craving traditional Italian food can choose from a variety of different pastas and
risottos. The house dish, the Fratelli pasta, is made with prosciutto, mushrooms, white
wine, fresh tomatoes, cream and smoked mozzarella.
And for those in a party mood, Fratelli’s staff clears out tables to open up some space
in the dining area around midnight so that people can get their groove on.
The music –which had been playing softly in the background during dinner– changes
from classic Italian opera to contemporary lounge music. Later on, as the night
progresses, Latin music begins playing, with favorites like Juanes livening up the
crowd.
Favorite drinks include apple martinis, but the bartender can whip up any kind of
drink, including a special kind of Mojito made with “aguardiente” instead of regular
rum.
Fratelli also features two original house drinks –the Lemoncello Martini and the Sexy
Fratelli– that are sure to cap off the night in style.
“It’s a fun place,” said Andrés Montes, a visitor from New York who’s hanging out with
two friends at the Fratelli bar. “I think we’re gonna do some tequila shots!”
Fratelli opens for dinner everyday after 5:30 p.m. It closes at midnight from Sundays
to Wednesdays and remains open until 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
For more information, call (787) 721-6265, e-mail info@ristorantefratelli.com, or visit
www.ristorantefratelli.com.
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