Italian American Digest Summer2019DigestDraft2 (2) | Page 20

SUMMER 2019
PAGE 20
CBD’s
Newest:
Gianna
By Laura Guccione
Gianna is the most recent restaurant
from the Donald Link- Stephen Stryjewski
group in collaboration with Chef Rebecca
Wilcomb, who moved to New Orleans from
Boston in 2008. She started out as a line
cook at Herbsaint and by 2017 she had risen
through the ranks to become chef de cuisine
and was nominated for a James Beard award
for Best Chef: South which she won.
Chef Rebecca christened the restaurant
after her grandmother who lives in the
Veneto region of Italy and who she credits
with giving her a love of Italian food. She
has created an atmosphere of Nonna’s house
in both the welcoming vibe and impeccable
service in a time where service is often
overlooked as part of the whole experience of
going out to eat.
The space is open and inviting with
Italian tiles on the floor and a giant octopus
painted on the wall. The bar is at the center
with booths nestled against the wall and
small tables scattered in front with large
picture windows facing the street.
Our waiter, Chris, immediately
greeted us with a smile as we settled into a
cozy booth and let us know that if we had
questions he would gladly answer.
The menu was concise, one page of
food choices and drinks on the flip side.
There were a few beers, a list of Italian wines
by the glass, some recipes for interesting
Italian-inspired original cocktails, and a nice
addition of non- alcoholic seasonal Italian
sodas and aperitivi such as crodino. Food
choices range from small plates, salads, and
soups; pasta; entrees; and sides; along with a
separate section for antipasti.
The antipasti consisted of caponata,
tuna stuffed peppers, panelle, mozzarella,
oven roasted marinated mushrooms, house
made salami, and olives. These were all
served on vintage plates nestled on a large
silver platter (pictured below). The display
was as full of colors as it was of flavors. The
eggplant caponata was sweet and savory,
peppered with bits of crunchy celery and
spicy red pepper flakes. Small bright red
peppers stuffed with meaty tuna just like the
ones often found in Sicily and southern Italy
but rarely on menus in New Orleans which
is a shame since tuna is caught so close to our
shores. These morsels were well seasoned and
the tuna was subtle and firm yet tender to
the bite.
Panelle are a Sicilian street food made
of chickpea flour that are often served in
thin slices served on bread as a sandwich,
Chef Rebecca created panelle in the style
of a fritter, fluffy almost beignet-like, cut
Gianna Ristorante
700 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA.
70130
A selection of Gianna’s
antipasti offerings.
into squares and seasoned with just a taste
of honey. The panelle were savory and the
honey was a mere accent to the flavors rather
bringing an overwhelming sweetness.
Julienned mushrooms were marinated
and slowly cooked to release their earthy
goodness. After this was served, we had to
order some focaccia to dip in the drippings.
The focaccia was lightly toasted, dense but
light, seasoned just enough to be eaten alone
or with something else like red gravy (or
marinara sauce.) The sight of the focaccia
was the deciding factor that made us decide
that we had to order a side of red gravy to
finish the bread. Chef admitted that the red
gravy was not her grandmother’s recipe since
she lived in the Veneto, known more for its
creamy sauces, rich broths, and “radicchio
with everything” but the sauce was inspired
by southern Italian and Sicilian cooking. It
was tart and light with just the right amount
of bite, much like the tomato sauces found
in coastal Sicilian towns like Palermo.
A nice assortment of olives marinated and
I talian A merican D igest
served with a sprig of rosemary, a few slices
of house made salami, and a mound of bite-
sized mozzarella balls topped with bright
green crushed basil oil and chili flakes were
the final touches to the antipasti plate.
In addition to the antipasti there were
also almost a
dozen starters
that sounded
interesting
and worth
returning to
try including
oyster and
Gianna’s take on
artichoke
Tummala, a Sicilian rice
dish
dressing and
polenta with
lamb sausage.
Entrees run from braised chicken with
polenta, salami, and olives to slow roasted
pork shoulder with fennel and orange and
an old favorite that has reappeared in some
newer restaurants, veal saltimbocca.
The pasta menu included some innovative
combinations such as baked rigatoni with
crawfish and green garlic and the whimsical
ricotta lemon ravioli with roasted tomato.
Delicate ravioli stuffed with lemon flavored
ricotta burst with flavor contrasting the
light, somewhat sweet sauce of slowly
roasted grape tomatoes, it was as visually
stunning as it was delicious. There were also
a few northern Italian specialties including
tortellini in brodo, a traditional comfort
food of little stuffed pastas floating in broth.
Tummala, which was similar to rice
timballo, a Sicilian rice dish that is almost a
cross between jambalaya and macaroni and
cheese. It is not as cheesy but the texture is
similar, pressed and baked and then cut for
service rather than loose like jambalaya. This
tummala had pieces of chopped chicken and
delicious sausage brightened up with anise
seeds layered among lightly sauced rice. It
was tasty and was perfectly paired with a side
of dressed arugula.
Anyone who remembers Tony Angello’s
has to be familiar with the feed me menu and
at Gianna they offer that style of dining as an
option, served family style with each course
chosen by the chef.
The food was light, bright, and
sophisticated much like the space itself. The
food was comfort food that was not heavy or
cloying, a taste of Italy the way Italians do it.