‘I’m just a cook’: Meet the Eldorado’s new executive chef
Ivano Centemeri, the new executive chef of the Eldorado Resort Casino, doesn’t mind seeing red (it would be hard, after all, for an Italian chef to avoid tomatoes). But white? He doesn’t want to see white. As in a white chef’s coat. The Word Against White came the other morning in La Strada, the property’s flagship Italian restaurant, as Centemeri...
Mora Italian in Phoenix Delivers Casual Yet Refined Modern Italian in a High-Energy Space
Are you going to feel slightly overwhelmed the first time you step foot inside Mora Italian, chef Scott Conant's eagerly anticipated new Italian restaurant in uptown Phoenix? Possibly, yes. Mora Italian is busy, youthful, loud, and even a little grand. It's hard to resist the urge to just stand there for a minute and gape at its color and spectacle...
Scott Conant on Moving to Phoenix and Opening Mora Italian
He's worked in kitchens for three decades. He's gotten rave reviews from the New York Times. His Manhattan eatery, L'Impero, won a James Beard Award for best restaurant. You've very likely watched Conant in action, because he's been a judge on Chopped, Top Chef, and 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. He's traded cooking techniques with Anthony Bourdain for...
Wood-fired pizza at Rosario's in Medford
There's pizza. And then there's wood-fired pizza. Every now and then, I'm lured from our regular pizzeria by the promise of a smaller, even less elaborate pie that redeems itself with incomparably crunchy crust and that telltale whiff of wood smoke. Among several wood-burning ovens in the Rogue Valley, Rosario's is my go-to in Medford for pies that...
Casanova Maui in Makawao Gets Best Italian in State from Open Table
Every morning Steven Cappelli, the owner of Casanova in Makawao, gets up and reads reviews from Open Table, Yelp and Trip Advisor. “My mornings start with reading these reviews,” says Cappelli. “What a way to start the day, I know. My phone gets the notifications. But I really use it as a training tool. In the beginning of social media sites like t...
LAMP Café’s Italian Sandwiches are Worth the Trip to North Scottsdale
If you’re familiar already with the formidable work that chef Matt Pilato is doing at LAMP Pizzeria, a neighborhood parlor nestled among the scenic desert peaks and million-dollar homes of far-north Scottsdale, the answer might be: pretty damn far. If you’ve never heard of LAMP Pizzeria, though, and you don’t already spend your free time navigating...
Italian restaurant to open in Boise (with a racket-shaped pizza!)
With two new pizza joints appearing in the last two months, it’s tough to argue that Boise is hurting for places to grab a slice. But a new Italian restaurant? That’s an offer we can’t refuse. Vincenzo Trattoria plans to open in early March at 6970 W. State St., according to chef and manager Vincenzo Nicoletta. The 2,241-square foot space at Northg...
Zaccagni’s Italian sandwiches delicious, authentic
It’s 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday, and a man walks into the tiny cafe, dreaming of a brisket sandwich. “We’re out,” says Taunia Carter, the woman behind the counter. “Oh, no! That’s my favorite,” the man says, and steps outside. “I’ll come back another day.” Carter sighs. “On a normal day, I’d convince him that he’ll find his next favorite. You know, s...
Look to Sinatra for romance out of the ordinary
Looking for quiet sophistication in a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner destination? Your search ends with Sinatra. Whether the weather accommodates a table in the peaceful garden patio or you stay inside the regal dining room that serves as a tribute to the Chairman, Sinatra’s surroundings and stellar service provide the charm to create a memorable...
Orasella redefines the lowly maraschino cherry
Take two roommates who’ve been friends for 20 years. Add the fact that their Seattle homes are five blocks apart. Mix in one person’s expertise in marketing and design, complemented by the other’s law and engineering background. The result: A recipe for a hand-crafted business that’s as vibrant, robust and enjoyable as its products.Meet Anne SanGio...
Pūlehu, an Italian Grill names Jesse Pita as its Chef De Cuisine
Pūlehu, an Italian Grill, located at The Westin Kā‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas, has named Jesse Pita as its chef de cuisine. In celebration of the award-winning Italian restaurant’s growth and new culinary direction, it will host “Nuova Foglia” (which means “new leaf” in Italian), a chef’s tasting dinner on Saturday, Feb. 11. “Chef Jesse’s Italian...
A Seattle chef shares how to make these simple, delicious chickpea-flour pancakes from Italy
I FIRST ENCOUNTERED farinata last summer on the porch at San Fermo, the Ballard restaurant housed in two conjoined, historic buildings whose handsomely updated old bones are a fitting setting for chef Sam West’s rustic Italian cooking. Farinata is a simple pancake made of chickpea flour. The late Italian cooking authority Marcella Hazan described i...