Viva Italiano!

By James Patrick Kelly

The West Treasure Valley in no way resembles Italy, regardless of a seemingly never-ending array of housing developments that boast fancy Mediterranean names. But that doesn’t mean that diners in these parts can’t find a good selection of Italian restaurants. Of course, I’m talking about independently owned and operated places where sauces are made from scratch and the proprietors actually know your name—unlike at those corporate places that line the busy boulevards.

Most Italian fare served in this country has a noticeable American bent, thanks to East Coast restaurants (those comfy Italian joints that Billy Joel sang about) where eggplant parmigiana and chicken piccata are the norm. With that said, menus in American Italian restaurants tend to be all over the map, pushing dishes from northern, central, and southern Italy.

One such place is Bella Aquila, located in the former Franco Latino spot on Eagle Road, which is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Owners Bill and Ellen Cooper, along with their son, Chad, operate this relatively new Italian restaurant. Under the kitchen direction of chef David Knickrehm, who recently took over for chef Mark Wilkerson, Bella Aquila has defied the odds in a bad economy by consistently filling the dining room with those who crave freshly made pasta and succulently braised lamb shanks. The décor speaks to a suburban sensibility, with a bright, open dining room and spacious wine bar. During the warmer months, the restaurant’s riverside patio is a great place to dine al fresco.

Bella Aquila’s menu successfully spans the map of Italy. Diners can choose from a large menu of regional Italian classics, like veal piccata, chicken saltimbocca, and silky seafood risotto. But what really makes this place shine is the array of house-made pasta, ranging from smoked salmon ravioli to gnocchi Gorgonzola to linguine carbonara, a traditional pasta dish made with salty pancetta, peas, egg, and cream—with a hint of garlic on the backbeat.

The wine list emphasizes Italian wines, especially vintages from Piedmont and Tuscany, but it’s balanced with labels from Idaho’s Snake River Valley, Napa Valley, and Columbia Valley.

Sweet endings at Bella Aquila include rum-spike tiramisu and a trifecta of creamy gelato.

Just down the road, next to Albertsons, fans of Italian dining will also like The Stuffed Olive. This small Italian restaurant has been a hit since debuting five years ago.

Owners Bill Carter and Janice Darelli are veterans of the Italian dining scene, dating back to their earlier years in northern California, where they operated Italian restaurants.

This comfy trattoria offers a large selection of Italian-inspired sandwiches, entrée salads, pasta dishes, as well as meatier options such as chicken parmigiana and grilled tri-tip with portobello-Merlot sauce. Other popular items include shrimp scampi, lasagna, and chicken stuffado crowned with prosciutto, Parmesan, and roasted garlic cream sauce. 

Open for lunch and dinner, The Stuffed Olive produces some remarkable sandwiches, like a pesto chicken baguette and a hearty meatball sandwich—swimming in aromatic marinara sauce.

The wine list leans toward Italy for inspiration, with lots of Chianti, Sangiovese, and Pinot Grigio, but don’t be surprised to see some American labels, too.

Chef Gino Vuolo has made a name for himself in Boise, but he recently closed his two Italian eateries in downtown Boise to try his luck in the West Treasure Valley. Gino’s Ristorante and Bar recently debuted in Meridian, at the corner of McMillan and Ten Mile roads. This spacious restaurant has a Mediterranean-meets-America décor, with lots of earthy colors and a brick pizza oven that greets diners as they walk through the front door.

Cooking Italian food, especially the cuisine of southern Italy, is hereditary for Vuolo, whose great grandmother opened a trattoria in Naples nearly a century ago that is still operated by family members. Many of the dishes that are served at Gino’s have come from the family recipe book, meaning they are tried and true. One bite of his ragu tells you that this slow-cooked, meaty red sauce is the real thing—not some watered-down jarred sauce that bears the same name.

Starters range from traditional antipasto to succulent fried meatballs to salmon carpaccio to Naples-style pizzas that come with various Mediterranean toppings, like briny olives, artichoke hearts, and San Marzano tomatoes.

The pasta portion of the menu is large, with dishes like pasta Bolognese, spaghetti con vongole, and linguine pollo Maria leading the way. Gino’s also dishes up delicious seafood and beef lasagna. But you would be remiss if you didn’t try Gino’s braised boar shanks and pan-seared veal chop in a port reduction, paired with a big glass of Chianti from the decidedly Italian wine list.      

I probably would be chased up a flagpole if I wrote an article about Italian dining and failed to mention DaVinci’s in the heart of downtown Eagle. This Americanized Italian restaurant, with Tuscan undertones, has become an institution since opening in 1998.

New owners Tony Piotter and Jay Hastings recently purchased the business (not the historic building) from Larry Schwartz, who still owns the DaVinci’s in Hailey. (Don’t worry: The menu concept is still the same under the new ownership.)

This dinner-only restaurant (open seven nights a week) has a stylish dining room with warm tones and big, comfy booths, making it a great place to nosh on prosciutto-wrapped prawns while sipping Pinot Grigio.

Other appetizers include manila clams in garlic-white wine sauce, crispy calamari with aioli, and hot crab and artichoke dip, sided with chunky Tuscan bread.

Pasta lovers will enjoy the house-made sauces, including Bolognese, pesto, white clam sauce, alfredo, to name few, which are served with a choice of spaghetti, spinach linguine, fettuccine, and angel hair.

House specialties include spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, chicken Marsala, and veal piccata, which play well with the large selection of Italian red wines that grace the wine list.

Dessert is hardly an afterthought at DaVinci’s. The super-creamy tiramisu or a couple scoops of spumoni are wonderful ways to end the evening.

James Patrick Kelly is a Boise-based food writer. He also writes for Northwest Palate and Village Voice Media’s food Website, dailyfork.com.

Where to Eat:

Bella Aquila
775 S. Rivershore Lane
Eagle
938-1900
bellaaquilarestaurant.com


The Stuffed Olive
404 S. Eagle Road
Eagle
938-5185
thestuffedolive.net

Gino’s Ristorante and Bar
3015 W. McMillan Road
Meridian
887-7710

DaVinci’s
190 E. State St.
939-2500
davincis2.com

Italian Dining Glossary:

Al Dente: An Italian phrase that describes food, especially pasta, which has a firm texture “to the tooth.” In other words, it’s not mushy or overcooked.

Al Fresco: This phrase means “fresh” in Italian. It especially relates to outside dining in the “fresh” air.

Birra: Italian for beer. While the Italians are not well known for making beer, Peroni and Moretti are popular brands.

Caponata: A Sicilian relish-like side dish that consists of eggplant, anchovies, tomatoes, olives, capers, raisins, olive oil, and pine nuts.

Grissini: Italian for breadsticks, especially the long, crispy variety.

Limone: Italian for lemon.

Parmigiano-Reggiano: High-quality Parmesan cheese that’s aged for at least two years. It has a grainy texture that quickly melts like butter on the tongue.

Scaloppine: An Italian term that describes a thinly cut medallion (or scallop) of meat.

Tagliatelle: Long, flat egg noodles that resemble ribbons.



Spaghetti con Vongole

(Courtesy of Gino Vuolo, Gino’s Ristorante and Bar)

Serves six

5 pounds clams, shells and all, rinsed with cold water

8 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dry white wine

6 ounces Italian parsley, chopped

2 pounds dried or fresh spaghetti (linguine works, too)

Boil the pasta in a large pot until it’s al dente (about eight minutes for the dried stuff, with frequent stirring). Place clams in a separate covered pot and steam (with white wine, olive oil and garlic) until the shells start to open. Add the rest of the seasonings and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Add the pasta and serve.