Slam dunk for new PC coach dining at Cassarino's on Federal Hill

New Providence College basketball coach Kim English had his first taste of the town Friday night, and he liked it.

At 8:37 p.m., he took to social media and tweeted "FRIARTOWN … Checking in. Dinner at Cassarino’s = Two thumbs up. Good recommendation by @BryceHopkins."

The restaurant at 177 Atwells Ave. on Federal Hill is no stranger to Friartown. Cassarino's owners Christine and Steven Anderson have season tickets. Christine called English's sharing on Twitter "Super exciting!"

She said they knew English was coming to dinner.

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"While setting the lineup for the shift, organizing reservations in our system – and of course being PC fans, we recognized the name," she said on Saturday.

"Coach went out of his way to introduce himself to our team and any of our guests that recognized him and were excited to catch a glimpse of the 'New Kid on the Block,'" she added.

Anderson would not divulge anything about his meal or food preferences.

"Coach English was joined by three others for dinner, and while respecting their privacy, we can say they seemed to be enjoying themselves and each other's company," she said.

The Andersons did not take any photos with the coach.

Because they are fans with season tickets, "We didn't want to come off too strong with pictures right out of the gate," she joked.

Hosting a table of Providence College Friars is nothing new to Cassarino's.

"We host many of the PC sports teams the night before home games throughout the year," Anderson said. "Men's basketball being the most frequent.  We also are often visited after games by players with family and friends."

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"We look forward to welcoming him back!" she added.

Journal sportswriter Bill Koch reported that Providence College’s coach was hard at work on Friday, less than 24 hours after the school officially announced him as its new men’s basketball hire. Perhaps that's when PC forward Bryce Hopkins advised the coach on where to dine.

With dining on three levels, Cassarino's has plenty of private dining nooks and crannies. They can accommodate a crowd or a dinner for two.

The Andersons bought the long-established restaurant nearly a year ago. The couple are alums of Johnson & Wales University. They had their first date at Cassarino's in 2001. After other jobs in the industry, they came full circle buying the restaurant.

The menu is full of Italian specialties, seafood, pasta and classic meat dishes, including the grilled Bistecca alla Mamma.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: New Providence College coach Kim English dines at Cassarino's