A Ban on Many Italian Pork Products Will Be Relaxed
The United States Department of Agriculture will relax a decades-long ban on the importation of many Italian cured-pork meat products from some regions of Italy starting May 28, including sought-after staples such as salami. On Friday, the department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services announced that an in-country assessment had determin...
Little Nonna's drops some (meat)balls, scores with cannoli
Little Nonna's was barely three nights old when chef and co-owner Marcie Turney - her kitchen crew already digging deep into their "gravy pot" - realized just how deceptive her challenge was. The adorable little storefront space, trimmed with an old-time striped awning and lace curtains, certainly looks manageable enough, the open kitchen...
Brigantessa adds depth to the city's Italian food scene
In the beginning, Brigantessa was going to be all about pizza. Of course. What new moneymaking restaurant ambition in Philly these days does not begin with a wood-fired oven and a peel-ful of molten mozzarella dreams? And given chef Joe Cicala's stellar track record at Le Virtù, it's worth paying attention to what emerges from the flaming...
Is Jersey-Italian food an endangered species?
by Kelly-Jane Cotter Back in the day, you couldn't drive two blocks in any town in New Jersey without hitting a decent Italian place. Not just pizzerias, but actual Italian restaurants. Family-owned, unpretentious Jersey-Italian restaurants that took pride in recipes handed down from Nonna and Pop. And, yeah, they still exist...
Chef Luigi Diotaiuti Wants to Attract Younger Diners to Aperto
A contemporary Italian restaurant from Chef Luigi Diotaiuti quietly opened in Foggy Bottom (2013 I St. NW) a little over a month ago. "After 40 years of a career, I learned that it's always better to open with the low profile," Diotaiuti says, explaining that it helps a restaurant iron out the details before guests pour through the doors. Now the c...
Bielat Santore & Company’s “Who’s Who in the Restaurant Industry”
An Italian favorite makes a comeback opening its doors in a not so familiar location. John Piancone Sr. first had the idea of opening an Italian Specialty Store and Bakery in 1955 in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. His vision expanded nearly 40 years later when his son Rick Piancone opened a family restaurant with his wife called La Nonna Pianc...
It’s now official: Grimaldi’s is open
Instead of a ribbon cutting, First Selectman Ellen Scalettar on Tuesday, Oct. 14, performed a pizza cutting, officially opening the new Grimaldi's of Woodbridge. A Brooklyn native herself, she welcomed the new franchise. "I know the roots of this great pizza," she said.Michael Ursini, a Bethany resident who was raised in New Haven, has par...
Around Town: Gennaro Luciano Plays Guest Chef at Il Canale
On October 26, Georgetown's beloved pizzeria napoletana, Il Canale, was buzzing even more than usual. Crowds of local and visiting Italians, Il Canale veterans, and family and friends congregated on 31st street to get a taste of guest chef Gennaro Luciano's pizza. Luciano is the owner and head chef of the famous Antica Pizzeria Port'...
The Spot: Marra's
by Danya Henninger In 1920, Salvatore Marra left his hometown of Naples in search of a better life. He landed in San Francisco and then moved to Chicago, where he opened a pizzeria and became friends with Al Capone. After a few years, he moved to Philadelphia, and was joined by his wife, Chiarina. The couple set out to launch anot...
A Tasty Life: A slice of pizza history
by Chris Cason Pizza, we all adore it. My 2-year-old, if given the choice, would eat it for every meal if allowed. In fact, if you are standing in an elevator with seven other Americans, chances are at least one of them has eaten pizza in the last 24 hours. No matter where you go in the U.S., from large cities to small towns, chan...
AGGIO Executive Chef Talks about New Restaurant in Ashburn
Chef Bryan Voltaggio opened AGGIO, an Italian restaurant, in One Loudoun on Aug. 9, replacing Family Meal. Born and raised in Frederick, MD, Voltaggio served as sous chef and executive chef at two regional hotel restaurants before enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY at age 20. After graduation, Voltaggio staged at A...
Piccolina Toscana delivers Italian with twist
Delaware Dines Out, a restaurant week sponsored by The News Journal, features local eateries offering a $35 prix fixe dinner menu through Sunday, Oct. 2. It's a good time to try someplace new, or to revisit an old favorite. News Journal reporter Brittany Horn visits Piccolina Toscana. Here's what she says: FIRST IMPRESSION: For bein...