Dine Out Maine: Italian-American classics survive – and some thrive – at the new Roma
The Roma Café you remember is gone forever. You should know that from the outset. The original, an Italian-American restaurant that once occupied the lower floors of the Rines mansion in Portland’s West End, had a remarkable run. When its white tablecloths were taken to the laundry for the last time in 2008, the restaurant had been open (and mostly...
Bar Lupa brings Italian twist on tapas
In Italian, stuzzichino means a snack, or appetizer, or nibble. Assaggio, similarly, means a small amount of food or drink. From Italian to Spanish, both translate roughly to tapas, an Iberian food culture that pairs small servings of food with drink in a laid-back setting. It’s the kind of cuisine and vibe that Massimo Tabbacco and Miguel Angelo D...
Venetian Cuisine Takes Center Stage at Boston’s SRV
Lots of people like fresh pasta, but very few go to the lengths Michael Lombardi does to make it. In the basement of his South End restaurant SRV, Lombardi (Questrom’08) and co-owner Kevin O’Donnell have installed a mill to grind the grain needed to make the freshest pasta, whether it’s tubes of garganelli, buckwheat pizzoccheri, or piles of the el...
V's Trattoria, Hartford
When a drastic drop in business due to ongoing iQuilt construction forced Vito's By The Park from its location of 20 years, some wondered how the loss of its bucolic, park side, al fresco identity would affect it. The location "was magic," chef-owner Rob Maffucci, told Hartford Courant reporter Leanne Griffin. But if there's one thing 51-year-old M...
Zia Gianna Will Open in Dorchester This Saturday
Beginning this Saturday, Dorchester residents will be able to snack on Sicilian sandwiches and baked goods and sip on cappuccinos and other Italian coffee drinks. Zia Gianna (1739 Dorchester Ave.) is throwing an opening party from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and will be serving pastries, lunch, and coffee. So much coffee. Zia Gianna owner and chef Nino Barba...
Dominic Reali and the Amato's Italian are both very real
Maine is the birthplace of the Italian sandwich. They were first made by John Amato at his shop down on India Street. For the past 45 years, they have been made by Dominic Reali who has also expanded the chain to 42 stores. Mr. Reali is a real Italian himself, having immigrated to the United States in 1955. Speaking no English, he went to work and...
Where to Eat Spaghetti and Meatballs in Boston
Cold weather calls for comfort food, and there are few foods more comforting than spaghetti and meatballs. Luckily for Bostonians, there’s this neighborhood called the North End —maybe you’ve heard of it? — that’s chalk full of the stuff. Don’t be fooled, though: The North End doesn’t have a monopoly on that sweet, sweet red sauce. (Okay, so most o...
Meet Michael Scelfo, the Boston Chef Reimagining New England Pizza
Michael Scelfo is serious about pizza. After a childhood spent savoring New York's top slices (not to mention a habit of embarking on pizza pilgrimages in his adult years), the chef had visions of a roaring, wood-fired hearth taking center stage at his first solo restaurant, Alden & Harlow in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But when he started the busine...
Middletown to herald return of authentic Italian treats when Mozzicato Bakery fires up ovens
Traffic on already busy Route 66 may soon be slowed by the overwhelming scent of fresh desserts, breads and coffee wafting from Mozzicato DePasquale Bakery when it opens on Washington Street in early January. The bakery is beloved around the region for sweet Italian confections: pasta ciotti, cannoli, biscotti, bigné shells filled with sweet ricott...
Burro Bar Will Replace La Motta’s in the South End
The Alpine Restaurant Group — which is behind Posto, the Painted Burro, and other restaurants in Somerville’s Davis Square and beyond — is expanding again. According to a post on Boston Restaurant Talk, the group plans to open Burro Bar (a close sibling to the Painted Burro) in the space at 1357 Washington St. currently occupied by La Motta’s. The...
Talented locals run the show
When it opened in December, Boston’s Eataly became the fourth U.S. location of Mario Batali’s brand of massive, multi-floor Italian dining emporiums. So when chef Dan Bazzinotti interviewed for a role at Terra, one of several full-service restaurants inside the 45,000-square-foot space, he wanted to make sure his hometown wasn’t being served stale...
Lineage Italian Bistro opens in Agawam with focus on family & fantastic food (photos, video)
Less than two months passed from the time Jennifer and Teraesa Chagnon decided to open a restaurant and when they began serving customers at the beginning of this month. Lineage Italian Bistro officially opened Oct. 5. "From inception to completion was seven weeks," said Jennifer, who handles the business and promotion side, while Teraesa, her wife...