Ristorante Capri
by Michael Walsh
Nestled
down in what is known as the Railroad Square area of Santa Rosa, a treasure of
authentic , upscale Italian dining awaits you at The Ristorante Capri. Now in it's
fourth year, the Capri was one of the pioneers in moving into the renovated area,
only one block from the old train station and historic Rose Hotel on Fourth Street.
Initially a run down location, owner Luigi DiRuocco saw the potential and made
the investment. Now it's difficult to get a table on Friday and Saturday
nights. The staff is known for its' old world Italian hospitality, and the
 atmosphere is
distinctly Isle of Capri, Luigi's birthplace. His parents still own a
small hotel on the Isle of Capri.
Luigi was born into the hospitality business in Capri, Italy in 1955.
An area known for it's scenery ,great restaurants and hotels, Capri's
industry of choice was the hospitality industry, and Luigi caught the bug
early on in life.
Left to right,
Eduardo Senegi, sous chef,
Luigi DiRuocco, owner,
and Lucio Castaufnola
Luigi bears the background of many of the great European chefs and
restaurateurs. After attending the Albegerri Institute (Hotel school) for
six years, he then spent two years on the floor waiting tables, two years
in the kitchen and two years in concierge perfecting his craft. He started
working after school at 16 in Zermat, Switzerland and worked in ski areas
for two years, and then back to the kitchen and dining room at Monte
Zevani in Matterhorn, Switzerland. His travels then took him to the island
of Bermuda, before coming to the San Francisco area, working in different
Italian restaurants along the way. His most recent stop before opening up
The Ristorante Capri was at the Tiramiso in San Francisco.
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Antipasto Starter
Risotto Antipasto Starter
Sea
Bass
Lamb Shank / Sea
Bass
Capri
707-525-0815
115 Fourth street Santa
Rosa California
Visit our website: www.fbworld.com for recipes for
this article and others in this issue
|
As the chef/owner of the Capri, Luigi's overview of hospitality revolves around both the authentic Italian cuisine he brings with him from Italy, as well as the hospitality practices, which concentrates on old world style and attention to the customer, providing the type of dining experience that brings customers back again and again.
It is obviously working. The staff is smiling and you're taken care of the instant
you enter the restaurant. The cuisine is very light and bears an Italian's touch,
with the home made gnocchi being one of the outstanding selections. Luigi and his
Sous Chef Lucio make all their own pastas from scratch. One of his specialties is
the filled pasta, stuffed with walnuts and pesto sauce, superbly made with asparagus
, tomatoes and basil with porcini mushrooms. The sauces have been practiced and
honed over the years, and are done with a light, well balanced touch.
Don't
forget to order the Antipasto. We ordered the artichoke carpaccio, made with fresh
grilled vegetables, topped with shaved parmesan cheese, arugula & capers. With
fresh Mozzarella, made from scratch with a recipe that has been well guarded and
kept in the family for years,was masterful. To recreate, grill the vegetables with
olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. The Carpaccio is filet mignon, thinly
sliced with shaved parmesan cheese, arugula and capers. A light drizzle of mustard
is all that is needed.
The Chilean Sea Bass with Parsley and Garlic in a white Chardonnay wine reduction
sauce was adding tastes without hiding the wonderful perfection of tenderly cooked
Sea Bass, separating perfectly at the touch of
the fork.
The Lamb Shanks were robust and filling, cooked to juicy perfection. The reduced
gravy on the heaping mounds of mashed potatoes was made with a light borriolo red
wine reduction sauce with calamata olives and rosemary. Luigi reduced the beef
stock from braised beef bones and red wine for hours. Truly an Italian experience,
one of the great secrets of the Northern California wine country. |
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