LOGAN Sq. — The Italian restaurant that took above the Quiote spot has reopened after months of dormancy — and the owner has huge designs as indoor eating expands.
Testaccio at 2456 N. California Ave. reopened before this thirty day period for constrained indoor eating, takeout and supply. The cafe has a new menu showcasing Roman-impressed dishes like orecchiette di cacio e pepe, bucatini carbonara and Roman artichokes with preserved lemon and Sicilian olives, according to a information release.
Proprietor Aldo Zaninotto is converting Testaccio’s basement bar into a wine lounge impressed by wine bars in Paris with a curated wine checklist, champagne, cocktails and modest plates. The objective is to open up Soif Wine Lounge in the spring.
Zaninotto is also opening a Roman-style meals truck termed Pizzica on the restaurant’s outdoor patio in the summertime. The truck will provide Italian road meals, as properly Italian frozen cocktails and wine on faucet.
Credit rating: FurnishedBoth equally initiatives ended up aspect of the initial plan for the cafe but didn’t materialize correct away because of to the coronavirus pandemic, Zaninotto reported.
Testaccio opened in July but was compelled to shut down just a number of months later because of the drop surge of COVID-19. For that cause, Zaninotto considers this opening the restaurant’s formal debut.
“If you haven’t been in a position to vacation in the past yr or so to Italy, I do consider what we bring is that society of Rome,” he reported. “My excitement for the place — I want people to working experience the same detail.”
Testaccio is meant to complement Zaninotto’s existing cafe, Osteria Langhe at 2824 W. Armitage Ave., which attracts its inspiration from Italy’s Piemonte region.
Zaninotto labored at substantial-conclude eating places like Savarin in River North and in wine product sales prior to opening Osteria Langhe with a business enterprise spouse. For years, he was on the lookout to open a next restaurant and spotlight a unique location of Italy.
Testaccio is a neighborhood in Rome recognised for its industrial previous, old slaughterhouse and regional delicacies. Zaninotto has mentioned the neighborhood reminded him of Logan Sq..
“After 14 several years in the wine business enterprise, I realized that my Italian lifestyle was misunderstood in this region,” Zaninotto beforehand explained. “We speak about Italians and it’s generally about pasta, pizza — it’s not what Italians are about. It’s by location.”
Credit score: PresentedTestaccio changed Quiote, which closed in August 2019 with out explanation. It was later revealed the award-profitable Mexican cafe experienced been evicted immediately after failing to fork out $40,000 in hire. The restaurant had also been serving booze with no a license, Patch noted.
Testaccio is open up 5:30-10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 5-9 p.m. Sundays. Brunch company is expected to commence March 7.
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Credit rating: Presented