INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene ’ s most engaging chefs
Michele Bonaventura , Owner & Chef , and Antoinette Bonaventura , Owner & Manager , Gran Canal Caffé
Gran Canal Caffé 1021 N . Canal Street , Sharpsburg ; 412.781.2546 , grancanalcaffe . com
On the Menu : Traditional Italian cuisine with a focus on pasta ; Gran Canal Caffé ’ s signature dish is handmade Cannelloni , filled with veal , spinach and fresh ricotta cheese , topped with béchamel and marinara sauce . There is also Pappardelle con Salsiccia , wide fettuccine in a tomato sauce with sautéed onions , fresh handmade sausage and tossed with baby spinach , and Sundried Tomatoes and Gulf Shrimp with linguine pasta in a white wine garlic butter sauce . The menu includes fish and veal specials , such as Veal Scaloppine Piccata with capers and lemon juice in a white wine sauce and Mediterranean Sea Scallops , which are lightly breaded with mint and basil , and served with Aiolio pasta .
Why did you open Gran Canal Caffé ?
Q A We wanted to share my roots and culinary culture from Italy with the people of Pittsburgh . We ’ ve been working as the owners and chefs for 21 years .
What led you to create the business ? We saw the need for Pittsburgh to have a restaurant specializing in pasta and wanted to share the types of pasta and traditional sauces Michele had enjoyed eating while growing up in Italy .
Who has influenced your cooking or creativity in the kitchen the most ? I have had many influences in my 48 years in this industry , but my greatest influence was my mother , Carmela . She was a remarkable cook and prepared everything from scratch . She made her own pasta , tomato sauce and canned all of our vegetables and fruits . I was always next to her in the kitchen and she even referred to me as her
The dining room at Gran Canal Caffé .
“ third arm .” I learned to make all of her specialty sauces , and especially hold near to me her traditional Sunday tomato sauce with braciola , sausage and lamb with handmade pasta .
What kitchen tool can ’ t you live without ? The kitchen tool that will always be with me is a chitarra pasta maker . My personal favorite pasta is made with this tool , which my mother used every Sunday for handmade pasta to serve with her braciola sauce . The chitarra pasta maker originated in the Abruzzo region of Italy as a kitchen tool made with guitar strings . It is very unique in the long square form that the dough takes as the pasta is cut from these strings . Childhood memories have inspired me with a love for food and a passion for cooking as my lifelong journey .
Best advice for a novice ? Our best advice for a novice is that cooking is creative and an art form specific to that individual . Success is enjoying while you learn . It is with dedication and practice in the kitchen where you cultivate your taste and style for cooking .
What is your favorite quick meal to prepare at home ? We enjoy preparing pasta and fresh tomato basil sauce with San Marzano tomatoes , extra virgin olive oil , onions , garlic and basil . It is simple , fresh and always satisfying . We use dry or fresh pasta of any shape , but favor chitarra or cavatelli .
The Bonaventura family ( l to r ): Michele , Fabio , Michelle and Antoinette in front of the Gran Canal Caffé .
Antoinette & Michele Bonaventura , owners of Gran Canal Caffé .
Sundried Tomatoes and Gulf Shrimp with linguine pasta in a white wine garlic sauce .
Mediterranean Sea Scallops with mint and basil .
Other than your caffé , where ’ s your favorite place to eat in the city or area ? After spending many days and nights in our restaurant , we enjoy relaxing on our porch for a Sunday dinner at home with family . A favorite local restaurant of ours is CC ’ s Cafe .
Your favorite go-to ingredient ? Our favorite go-to ingredients are extra virgin olive oil and basil . Italian food and culture values quality ingredients as the foundation of a good meal .
What ’ s the next big food or dining trend ? Less quantity and higher quality are what we see people are searching for in the Pittsburgh area . n
— Reese Randall
Photos provided by Gran Canal Caffé .
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