Cynthia Pacillo likes simple , clean food with fresh flavors . But , more importantly , she likes the regulars who come into her Totowa luncheonette , Cyndia ’ s , every week . Pacillo , 53 , has built astrong following of repeat customers during the restaurant ’ sfour years in business , thanks to astrong customer service policy and the family-friendly vibe . She ’ s not classically-taught — infact , she originally trained to be ahairdresser — but Pacillo ’ s down-home style of cooking attracts locals looking for the perfect order of Italian meatballs or fluffy pancakes . Where do you live ? In Roseland now , but I ’ m originally from Newark and I grew up in Little Falls .
Why did you decide to open Cyndia ’ s ? I was providing cafeteria services to construction sites from 1990-2013 . But I didn ’ t like that when the job ended , that was it . You work with a new crew and they don ’ t know who you are . And then reestablishing the businessevery time , it gets kind of old . So , when I saw the location for Cyndia ’ s was open , I figured I would give it a shot . I was confident that I would succeed becauseIdon ’ t quit .
What do you like most about being a restaurant owner ? Ilike my customers . Not only that , the restaurant
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CYNTHIAPACILLO Cyndia ’ s 169 Union Blvd ., Totowa ( 973 ) 925-7778 , cyndias . weeby . com “ THE RESTAURANT BECOMES A FAMILY . EVERYONE IS VERYTIGHT . WE FIGHT , THEN WE MAKE UP . THE BUSIER IT GETS , TOO , IT ’ S KIND OF LIKE AHIGH . EVERYONE PULLS TOGETHER TO MAKE IT WORK .”
becomes a family . Everyone is very tight . We fight , then we make up . The busier it gets , too , it ’ s kind of like a high . Everyone pulls together to make it work .
What ’ s the worst part of owning arestaurant ? It ’ sseven days aweek . Something ’ s always going on — sometimes people get sick , they call out , it ’ s always something . And it ’ s just physically demanding work .
How did you come up with the recipes ? Most of them are family recipes . It ’ s a group effort , it ’ s not just me . Everyone brings something to the table and takes suggestions from customers , too .
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What ’ s your favorite dish on your menu ? I really like the ricotta pancakes . There ’ s nothing I really dislikeon the menu , except the one thing Idon ’ t like is the corned beef hash [ laughs ]. Lots of people likeit , we make it homemade , but I just don ’ t likecorned beef . That ’ s the worst thing you have to do as achef , put love intosomething you don ’ t really enjoy .
What ’ s one thing you want people to know about your establishment ? We pride ourselves on making our customers happy . I ’ m always there for suggestions and things [ the customers ] would like to see on their menu . I ’ m willing to bend over backwards to make it happen .
What do you see coming up for your restaurant ? We ’ relooking to start Sunday dinners from 3-8 p . m . It ’ s basically like Sunday dinner at my house ; you don ’ t know what ’ sgoing to be on the menu . There ’ s asetpriceand we ’ llcoverpretty much everything : salad , pasta , meat dish , and different vegetables .
If you could cook for anyone dead or alive , who would it be , what would you cook , and why ? Iwould love to cook formy grandparents . My grandmother was agreat influence onmycooking . As she got older and didn ’ t want to cook , mygrandfather would call me up and say , “ Hi , doll , can you make mesome eggplant ?” And then show up with abushel of eggplant . And also Uncle Junior . Healways said Iwas the best cook ever .
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FLAMES : THINCKSTOCK ; PACILLO : MITSU YASUKAWA |
18 FALL 2017 WAYNE MAGAZINE |