It was a sad day in Park Slope when Franny's shuttered its doors after 14 years.

Daniel was overcome with emotion.

Katherine strongly considered leaving the borough.

Nuanced Opinion Guy decided to blame Trump.

Well, we've got good news for you, Daniel, Katherine and Nuanced Opinion Guy. No, we don't have a Franny's reopening for you. But the Franny's owners pinged L'Artusi alums to take over their beloved space, and the result is a new neighborhood gem by the name of Fausto. And that's something to celebrate. It's open now on Flatbush Ave.

So, it's one of those seasonally-driven ordeals, with a regional Italian menu and two huge wood-burning ovens to bring it all to life. The pastas are all house-made and there's as much of a focus on the wine as there is on the food, which brings us to our next point: this is no doubt a great date spot. Start with a couple of cocktails—theirs are heavy on the bitters and Italian spirits and will pair well with some arancini to start. The Faustian Bargain is a winner (scotch, blood orange, vermouth bianco, argala bitter, orange bitters), as is the Alto Papetti (bourbon, genepy, chamomile, bitters). One of each, maybe, but do whatever you want.

Next comes the red snapper ceviche with winter citrus, then the sweet potato-parsnip toretlloni, then the braised pork shank for two, and finally, your date saying something along the lines of, "Great choice on the restaurant, [your name here]." 

Yep, it'll go exactly like that. 

Now here are some photos of what to expect.

Now open, Fausto, 348 Flatbush Ave, 917-909-1427, see the menu and the slideshow