Sirocco – a touch of Italy in the California Desert
I do my diligence with attention and care when it comes to considering a restaurant and its dinner and wine list. Does it live up to its story by delivering the goods, like listing all the ingredients for each menu item and describing the wine in detail with vintage, district and taste? I went through such a selection process when I recent...
All in the family
by Doug Hoagland You get a taste of Len Ruggiero's big New York family when picking an entree at Mother Mary's Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria. Ruggiero is co-owner of the cozy restaurant on Willow Avenue, where the menu is sprinkled with family member's names on interesting and intriguing dishes. For example, there's Grandma R's S...
Now That’s Amore
By Jasmin St. Claire Being a native New Yorker is sometimes an advantage in West L.A. For one, I've always been better at cursing out cab drivers than the locals. There are disadvantages, too: I'm saddled with a New Yorker's palate. It craves the flavors and ambiance of the kind of old-school Italian restaurant you'd find in one of th...
New chef brings authentic Italian cuisine to Paisano's at Pechanga
Where do you go in Southern California to enjoy a stellar meal for a special occasion or just for a wonderful night out? We all have lists of our favorite places, but is Paisano's Italian Restaurant at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula on your list? If not, it should be. My husband, Todd, and I recently met Paisano's new Executive Che...
Trattoria Neapolis in Pasadena is closing
Trattoria Neapolis, an Italian restaurant and bar on South Lake Avenue, has announced that it will close after 2 1/2 years. The last day of service is set for Feb. 1. "We are proud of our restaurant's food, drink, service and ambiance," the restaurant's crew wrote on its website. "We hope to see you in the next two weeks in the restaurant...
Hot Italian to open Davis pizzeria this fall
by Dani Anguiano Hot Italian is bringing the heat to Davis with a new restaurant opening in late fall in the Davis Commons, next to Mikuni and Whole Foods. The Davis location of the popular pizza and panini bar, which is scheduled to open in late November or early December, will be slightly smaller than its midtown Sacramento and...
Chef Luigi Diotaiuti Opens New Italian Restaurant “Aperto”
We're looking forward to trying out a new Italian restaurant in Foggy Bottom opened by Al Tiramisu Owner-Chef Luigi Diotaiuti. Aperto takes over the space apertoformerly occupied by Primi Piatti, which closed after 30 years. In Luigi's words, "'Aperto' is named after the Italian word for 'open'. Featuring an open kitchen, a comfortable atm...
Lorenzo Scarpone: Portrait of a Connoisseur. From sunny Terre d’Abruzzo to the Wines of Italy Hall of Fame
On February 4th, 2015 Lorenzo Scarpone will enter the Wines of Italy Hall of Fame, but who exactly is Lorenzo Scarpone? Lorenzo is many things: a leading advocate of Slow Food, a wine and food specialist extraordinaire, and an import/export Guru. I had the pleasure of speaking with him at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, considered...
Italy’s Answer to Potato Chips? Taralli, of Course
Taralli are like the potato chips of southern Italy, according to the chef Rocky Maselli, who runs the A16 restaurants in the Bay Area. "You get them at gas stations but also at fancy hotels," Mr. Maselli said. "They're just the ultimate bar snack." They are crisp, melting rounds of dough made with just flour, water, olive oil for taste an...
Piero Selvaggio of Valentino
Piero Selvaggio is a local legend in the industry, a life long restaurateur who first started working in restaurants at the age of 17. Since then, he's opened multiple concepts, many of which were the first of their kind, but he'll always be known for Valentino, the revolutionary trattoria that has since become a fine dining establishment known thr...
California Importer Recalls Salami Products
Ferrarini USA, Importer of Record in San Fernando, Calif., is recalling approximately 15,118 pounds of salami products that were not presented for import re-inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Import reinspection by FSIS is required before an imported product is eligible to en...
At Caterina’s Club “If pasta is too good, you will eat fast and get more”
by Elisabetta Russo "Bruno Serato is a wonderful helper, he works at a restaurant called the White House." "He is a loving, caring man, who helps people in need. He loves kids and also gives them food." "Bruno Serato is a chef, who cooks the best pasta ever!" "I met him because he helped me and my family." "Bruno Serato cooks spagh...