Cafe Chat - AZeats.com

Page 16 – Oldtown Scottsdale News, June 2008
food for thought
Café Chat
Eatery dishes up a feast for
the palate ... and the eyes
By Joan Westlake
Walk in the door at Pasta Brioni’s
and you feel as though you’re in one of
the neighborhood café’s that abound in
Little Italy. From the warm greeting to
the dark woods and burgundy décor to
the rich garlic, lemon and olive oil
scents wafting from the kitchen, it’s
authentic Italian.
Robert Giannini, managing partner, says although he grew up in
Chicago, it was the more than a decade
of living in New York that is reflected in
the food and atmosphere at the restaurant. When he and his brother Gino
bought the place four years ago, it was
already a well-established restaurant in
which Gino had worked since it
opened about 11 years prior.
Giannini says that they set about
renovating and making the food and
atmosphere more upscale. The wine list
A warm Italian welcome is always waiting at Pasta Brioni from Papa Bob Giannini Sr. (second from left) and son Bob (far right), along with the restaurant’s famous Italian “hunks”
(photo by Joan Westlake).
and captain’s list (premium) were
upgraded, the décor went from
checked tablecloth café to burgundy
James Beard Award Winner
Chef Robert McGrath
invites you to a
BARBECUE!
Sunday nights from 5 to 9 p.m. at
$8 PER PERSON
Enjoy food and live music on the patio;
$1 PBR cans
Sorry, no reservations accepted.
Watch for Restaurant REM coming this summer!
480-481-0067
7217 East 1st Street in Oldtown Scottsdale
www.pischkes.com
linens and many of the popular specials
were added to the main menu. And,
just as if you were visiting your Italian
Mama, if you’d like a dish that isn’t on
the menu or specials board, you can
request it.
One thing that didn’t change is the
young, good-looking wait staff that
keeps the hearts of the female patrons
fluttering. These all black-clad waiters
aren’t just pretty boys, they are as efficient as they are charming to every customer. One attractive lad was seen talking sports with the guys at the bar and
then charming a table of ladies.
“We do a lot of girls’ night outs and
bachelorette
parties,”
chuckles
Giannini.
And, the classic bar boasts a lovely
female bartender who surprised one
repeat but fairly new patron by remembering his name as he walked in the
door. Giannini says that level of friendliness is why customers quickly feel
like part of the family. He asserts that
the food and the service are at the heart
of the restaurant’s success.
On a Tuesday night, the place was
packed. According to Giannini, regulars make up 70 percent of the business. Visitors to the Valley often
become part of the Brioni family. A
couple visiting from Canada strolled in
for their third night in a row. Giannini
greeted another couple that he says has
dined there every week for years.
“Concierges from the surrounding
resorts send their visitors to us because
they know the guests will have a great
experience and good food,” he
explains.
Regulars and referrals are important because Pasta Brioni is off the beaten path. Tucked away near Sunflower
Market on the southwest corner of
Miller and Camelback roads, it is actually two places in one.
On the eastern side near Miller,
there’s a casual café with more of a
pizza parlor and meatball sub menu
plus a take-out/delivery area. A birthday party and an eighth-grade graduation celebration kept this place lively
on one visit.
The main restaurant features a classic bar and an outdoor patio. Sunday
through Wednesday evenings from
4:30 to 6:30 p.m., happy hour in the
bar includes half-priced drinks and a
bar menu with dishes from $5 to $8.
While a great atmosphere is an
attraction, it is the food that keeps customers coming back. The ample plate
of homemade spaghetti with meatballs
($9.50) is a signature dish along with
favorites such as the tender and delicious veal marsala ($23) and flavorful
chicken sorrentino ($19). Regulars
order from the specials board enjoying
selections such as the wild mushroom
ravioli ($19) and the spinach ricotta
dumplings ($15). From traditional
dishes to Pasta Brioni’s own creations,
the rich Italian flavor comes through.
The restaurant is open from 11:30
a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday
and for dinner from 5 p.m. The orderat-the-counter café opens at 11 a.m.
Monday through Saturday and at noon
on Sunday. For details, go to
www.pastabrioni.com or call 480-9940028.
Dining Briefs
Eddie Matney opens
eatery in Downtown
Valley personality and renowned
chef Eddie Matney has returned to the
mainstream culinary scene with the
May 21 opening of Eddie’s House in