ALDO’S RESTAURANT: PASSION IS KEY INGREDIENT IN RECIPE FOR LONGEVITY

Restaurateur creates family atmosphere that has kept guests coming back for 36 years

A popular adage advises, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” With 36 years under his belt and no intention of stopping anytime soon, restaurateur Aldo Cascio is the embodiment of this statement.

“People say, ‘When
are you going to retire?’ I don’t want to retire,” Cascio says.
“This is my life.”

One need only spend a little time with the Sicilian-born culinarian to see what he means. Aldo’s Restaurant in Wyckoff—which Cascio owns along with its annex, Pane e Vino {640 Wyckoff Avenue, Wyckoff; 201.891.2618; aldosofwyckoff.com}; as well as the Brick House, {179 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff; 201.848.1211; thebrickhousewyckoff.com} a borough institution for steaks and seafood—is his second home, and it shows.

Employees approach
Cascio with reverence, not just the obligatory respect often shown to
a boss. One waiter stops by to present him with a vitamin elixir,
displaying the kind of concern one would see between a father and
son.

“He’s a very good man,” says Manuel De Los Santos, who has been manning Aldo’s kitchen as a cook for 27 years.

Cascio acknowledges
that such loyalty tends to be rare in the restaurant business, where
employees typically turn over almost as often as the tables. His
genuine kindness, however, is just as rare, ensuring staff see
themselves as part of a close-knit team rather than simply a cog in
the machine.

“I don’t think I
could live with that every day,” Cascio says.

It probably doesn’t
hurt that, after 15 years of working every day and night in the
kitchen, Cascio personally trained each of those who would carry the
torch to master his recipes.

“I have guys that
have been here for 35 years. Out of seven cooks, four have been here
over 20 years—two, more than 30 years.”

Nestor Betancourth—the self-described “pizza guy” who mans the oven at Pane e Vino—is one of the two, having worked for Cascio for 32 years.

“This man here, I
feel like I grew up with him,” says Betancourth, adding that Cascio
has often been like a father to him over the years. “Here, it’s
like a family thing—owners with employees, and employees with
customers.”

Walking through the
expansive restaurant with Aldo on a recent afternoon provides
evidence for Betancourth’s glowing testimony. The convivial
repartee with each patron passed made it obvious why customers have
kept coming back for close to four decades.

“I could come here
every night and I would know 80 percent of my customers,” boasts
Cascio, adding that he has watched generations unfold over time in
Aldo’s dining rooms. At the same time, he says, newcomers to the
restaurant are welcomed with as much warmth and enthusiasm as those
who have been dining there for years.

Such relationships
are important to Cascio, he says. And like everything for him, they
are fueled by passion.

“It started with
the food, but then it transferred to the people,” explains Cascio,
adding that in the beginning, he found great pleasure in stepping out
of the kitchen to be greeted by the looks of satisfaction and joy on
his customers’ faces. “The passion grows with the response you
get from people and how receptive people are.”

And they’ve been
receptive from the very beginning.

Starting back in
1983 in a cozy, 13-table spot on Franklin Avenue just around the
corner from the current location, Cascio first partnered with his
brother Dominic. There, he began honing some of the skills passed on
by his father, also a chef, with whom he emigrated from Italy at 15
years old.

Cascio met his wife,
Jill, the same year he opened Aldo’s. The two began building a life
in the quaint, well-heeled community. “I live here; my kids went to
school here. It’s been wonderful,” Cascio says, adding, “I love
Wyckoff.”

Dominic had
previously worked at New York’s Helmsley Palace (now Lotte New York
Palace), and many of his famous friends frequented the restaurant,
his brother recalls. On any given night, the likes of Danny Aiello,
Janet Jackson or Liz Smith might be seen enjoying a meal at the
former Aldo’s location. These days, professional athletes are a
common sight, according to Cascio.

Cascio laughed as he
harkened back to those times and what served as a waiting room for
diners. “I used to have a school bus,” he said, adding that it
was often packed with hungry patrons anticipating their meals on busy
nights. The restaurant was later expanded to accommodate its
popularity, as well as to open Pane e Vino.

A mere two years
later in 1998, a fire tore through the building, ravaging everything
and leaving Aldo thinking his dreams were up in smoke. As he stood
outside helplessly looking at the destruction the blaze had wrought,
people from the community stopped by to offer words of kindness and
support.

Adding to the
devastation was that authorities determined the fire was caused by
arson. Hearing this not only broke Cascio’s heart, but also puzzled
him, as he could not figure out who would wish him ill. Hundreds of
cards bearing words of encouragement poured in during the weeks that
followed, eventually banishing any thoughts of throwing in the towel.

“The support made
me want to rebuild,” says Cascio.

A few years later, Cascio would pay it forward. When the 9/11 terrorist attacks rocked the world, he was personally affected by the deaths of a neighbor and a couple of friends. Upon hearing that food was being served for aid workers at Pier 40, he also wanted to help. Not satisfied to simply bring trays of food that would grow cold throughout the day, Cascio obtained the necessary permit to bring a stove and the other needed equipment into Manhattan to serve home-cooked Sunday meals to those at Ground Zero for a few months after the tragedy.

“They were very
happy to have that,” he recalls.

Cascio also takes
every opportunity he can to help out on the local level, as well. “I
love giving back to the community.”

Some might say he
has given quite enough through the mere existence of his restaurants.
Its second location continues to offer Italian classics while keeping
up with culinary trends, and most importantly, pleasing the palates
of all those who enter.

“We try to cover a
little bit of everything … but the basics are always what we pride
ourselves on,” Cascio says, adding that all the pastas—which
include homemade, whole wheat and gluten-free selections—are a big
hit. Also popular are house specialties like Veal Rollatine, rolled
and stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella and garlic, then sauteed with
mushrooms and onions in white wine sauce; Shrimp alla Giovanni,
breaded and topped with sauteed chopped tomato and garlic, served in
a lemon white wine sauce, covered in melted Swiss cheese over a bed
of linguine; or Filet Mignon Arrabiato, served in wine sauce with
mushrooms, onions and hot cherry peppers. Chicken alla Aldo, composed
of boneless chicken breasts accompanied by mushrooms and onions in a
garlic, butter and lemon sauce, pays homage to the man himself.

The dishes emerging
from Aldo’s kitchen are ever-evolving as he and his chefs flex
their gastronomic chops. “That’s my best time, when I’m in the
kitchen doing what I do,” Cascio says.

Three separate
dining rooms, distinct in their decor, add coziness and character to
the 120-seat space at Aldo’s. In warmer weather, the outdoor patio
provides an al fresco experience. And with Pane e Vino only a few
steps away, diners who prefer wine with their dinner can order a
bottle from its retail offerings.

There, at a bar
centered under a vibrant ceiling mural, patrons can watch wood-fired
pizzas being prepared across the room while sipping wines from a
diverse, curated list whose bottles are displayed throughout the
space. Light fare, including specials like lasagna and grilled
octopus, are also available, as is the entire menu from Aldo’s.

“We have a steady
clientele,” says Cascio of the wine bar.

Downstairs, a wine
room holds reserve stock and two private party rooms play host to a
variety of events, such as birthday parties and showers,
accommodating up to 60 guests. Aldo’s also offers offsite catering.

Within the grandeur
of an 1851 Greek Revival farmhouse, the Brick House has established
itself as a distinctive dining destination and event venue. Its
formal main dining room and bar, along with multiple event rooms,
invite guests to a sumptuous experience. On the lower level, the
Cigar Bar exudes an air of comfortable exclusivity, where one can
light up a selection from the extensive cigar menu and enjoy a drink
while catching a game on a big screen TV, or even enjoy a quiet bite.

Also in town, Brick
House Cigar Shop {85 Crescent Avenue,
Wyckoff; 201.485.8488} further fulfills smoker’s needs,
with a well-stocked humidor and friendly vibe.

If his successful
endeavors are any proof, Cascio’s amore for all he does has
served him well over the decades.

“When you do something with passion, somehow people are receptive to that,” he says. “If you combine passion with good-quality food, good prices and good service, you have the opportunity to have success.”

By Jessica D’Amico