Fine-dining pioneer Franco Bertolasi dies Wednesday at home in Dallas

RC_DALLAS, says:

Was sad to hear about the passing of Mr. Bertolasi - he was truly a restaurant icon here in Dallas. Actually have a humorous story about Franco that took place decades ago when I was newby in the restaurant business and was very much in awe of all the glowing press that the Riviera, chefs Lori and David Holben, and Hector Garcias' staff were constantly receiving. I remember I decided to start saving up my pennies and go there as soon as possible. Months later, that day finally arrived and my then girlfriend and I nervously entered the hallowed doors of the Riviera one fine evening. And of course at the door there he was - this silver-haired very handsome middle aged gentleman dapperly dressed and deeply tanned. He greeted us warmly and then led us to the bar and poured us a taste of his favorite opened bottle of wine. Without missing a beat, he gracefully took my obviously smitten girlfriends hand and exclaimed to her "lets go see the wine cellar downstairs - this will be the most sensual evening of our lives!". That was the last I saw of my girlfriend and this suave Marcello Mastroianni type Fellini character for quite some time. Finally, I worked up enough nerve to ask the bartender the whereabouts of the downstairs wine cellar as by now an immoderate amount of time had elapsed. The bartender leans over to me and says "I'm sorry sir, but the Riviera has no downstairs wine cellar".