---

The concept behind the new restaurant offerings by the Fasano family is simple – good food at a reasonable price in an atmosphere that honors the city’s history by refurbishing many of its historic elements.

While Bond Street Bar owner Pat Fasano will open his affordable Italian restaurant Capitoline and Mexican fare La Loteria in a couple weeks in the city’s ever-evolving downtown, a sneak peek is planned Sunday as thousands gather for the Third Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Patrons can tour of the Cookman Avenue facing Capitoline as well as The Basement, where darts, foosball, pool and shuffleboard bar games are paired with a fully stocked bar and 16 bar taps.

The reveal will feature drinks and meatball subs by Capitoline Chef Michael Caputo [shown below], a new addition to the team.

Fasano’s extension is called “The Complex.”

It unites Bond Street Bar with Captioline, which is connected to the Mattison Avenue facing La Loteria via a hallway and stairs that lead to The Basement.  The combined capacity is an estimated 260 people.

“It’s kind of like being at your grandma’s house when you were a kid,” General Manager Charlie Interrante said. “Everyone runs upstairs to eat and then back down in the basement to hangout.”

La Loteria pays homage to the a la carte Mexican street style taqueria. Its name is based on the popular bingo-like Mexican game of chance.

Capitoline, which takes its name from the Roman hills and wall, feature’s fare in the ilk of grandma’s cooking, with square pizza slices that capitalizes on the two edged crusts and array of fresh salads.

The chefs will meet daily to coordinate seasonal specials, said Fasano’s daughter Anna, 25, who is the creative lead behind the project. Bond Street fans will recognize her work from the collaged bar top there.

“We really want to be ‘by the people for the people,” she said. “We really do want to deliver high quality food with great flavor.” Anna Fasano said.

While it took two years of planning and construction to bring The Complex into fruition, Anna Fasano said it was important to the creation of “a simple, friendly place for people to hang out and enjoy good food.”

She and Interrante have traveled across the nation and to Mexico for inspiration.

What’s resulted, in terms of décor, is a clean modern take on vintage artifacts, reconditioned by Fasano’s construction team.

“For years we’ve been talking about expanding Bond Street based on its success,” Anna Fasano said. “My dad and I are both into historic restoration and liked the idea of incorporating historical landmarks and materials that were sourced locally into the space. There is a story behind everything.”

Here’s a sampling:

Floor beams from the former Lakehouse Music Academy space were refurbished to make all the dining tables and bathroom countertops.

They have repurposed the kitchen doors and laundry shelves from the old The Sam Wah Chinese Laundry on Summerfield Avenue.

The 1920s-era stained glass from the former Merchants National Bank on Mattison Avenue is showcased along the walls and ceiling.

A chandelier made from an Asbury Lanes pinsetter lights the way to The Basement.

A mirror and windows from the Paramount Theater help deflect natural light.

Capitoline’s entrance features 9-foot, 1,000 pound doors from flagship Shore Point Distributors location in Little Silver.

Airplane hangar doors serve as windows and concrete bridge forms are used to mold The Basement’s washrooms.

Barn doors along La Loteria’s wall hail from a Neptune barn the family once owned.

Other highlights, include The Basement’s living plant wall, dart corner, and refurbished foosball table affixed with steel legs.

There is also a refrigerator door used for the entrance to Capitoline’s kitchen and the handmade upstairs’ washroom sinks and stalls, bar stools, and use of old freezers and the city’s boardwalk planks.

Bond Street patrons will recognize the management team’s faces; long time Bond Street bar employees who all received promotions with the expansion.

Among them is Bond Street sous chef Scott Sherman who becomes head chef at La Loteria with guidance from family friend German Garcia of La Tapatia.

While singer/songwriter and neighborhood bartender Chris Brown stays at Bond, he now takes on the marketing and events coordinator duties.

“Everybody got promoted, everybody got moved up,” said Interrante, who has been at Bond Street Bar for 4 years.

“We like to keep our crew,” Anna Fasano said. “The only new hire we had [in terms of management] was Capitoline’s Chef Michael [Caputo].”

The complex will staff 50 to 60 employees, a far cry from the seven employees that helped make Bond Street Bar a local success.

“Eat well, spend little,” taken from a vintage Italian cookbook has become The Complex’s motto, Anna Fasano [shown above left] said.

———————————————————————————–

Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

---