THE PLACE It’s been weeks since I’ve felt like facing a hot plate of pasta, but a recent lull in the heat took me to a tiny place with a long history. Giuseppe’s is a little hard to find, located in a the former FWS plaza in Gates, with an entrance near Aldi’s and in the corner near Dollar Tree.
While the restaurant has only been in this location for seven years, its history stretches back to 1927. In that year, two Petrillo brothers from Naples, Italy, staked their place in Rochester’s food scene. One opened Petrillo’s Bakery and the other brother, Guiseppe, opened a small restaurant. Guiseppe was in the front of the house, while his wife stirred the sauce in the kitchen. The restaurant changed locations a number of times, with one memorable site across from Kodak on State Street. Today, grandson Joe Chinappi and great-grandsons Joe Jr. and Marciano Chinappi continue the tradition. Joe Jr. is the baker and turns out a variety of breads and rolls that are sold at the deli counter, used for subs, served in the restaurant and sold wholesale to other restaurants in the area.
THE FOOD Another couple and I were waiting on my partner to arrive from Buffalo. With a few minutes to spare, we decided to order a large antipasto platter ($12.95) that would allow us to nibble, but leave some intact when he arrived. With the adjacent pizza and sub shop, you can’t go wrong since you know the ingredients are always at hand. A mounded platter included thin slices of salami, capicola and thicker hand-sliced rounds of pepperoni. There were wedges of aged sharp provolone and marinated artichokes. Hot cherry peppers and wrinkly pepperoncini added color and heat. Garbanzo beans and black olives added, well … a challenge as they rolled off the plate to be chased by fast forks. However, a side of dressing can be added to compose a salad from the last errant pieces and the bed of lettuce. The flavors were bright and tangy and the bountiful portion did allow us to leave plenty for our late arrival.
My first guest chose the Chicken Della Casa ($13.95), an upgraded version of chicken French. The traditional egg-battered cutlet and lemon-wine sauce preparation is served over a bed of angel hair pasta accented with artichokes and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. The pasta was perfectly al dente — a challenge with ultra fine angel hair. The artichokes are a natural companion to the lemony richness of French sauce, and the whole dish came together nicely under the melted blanket of cheese.
The second companion, a fan of anything done Parmesan-style, found a moment of bliss in the Parmigiano Platter. Three types of Parmesan on one plate: veal, chicken and eggplant! Aside from companion No. 1, I don’t think anything could have made him happier.
My partner chose the lasagna ($9.95), four sheets of pasta layered with a blend of Pecorino Romano, ricotta and parsley. It is ladled with the house sauce and served with a meatball or a sausage. We insisted on sampling both, and they were both well made and moist. The house sauce is dark and long simmered, typical of a southern Italian recipe, so I was a little surprised when Marciano told me his great-grandfather was from Naples. When I remarked that the sauce was more like a southern recipe, he said, “Oh, well yes, it was my grandmother’s recipe, and she was from Sicily!” Mystery solved (and why grandma was in the kitchen while Guiseppe manned the front).
My choice was the Ravioli Andrew ($11.95), homemade ravioli covered in a vodka blush sauce laced with sautéed fresh mushrooms and toppled with mozzarella. The dish was lovely when it came to the table, with mounds of pasta covered in a pale coral colored sauce. As soon as I put a fork to the pasta, I was surprised to find that the plate was covered by just three enormous ravioli. They were filled with ricotta, plump and cooked until soft but not mushy. The sauce clung to them perfectly, the mushrooms adding a lovely earthy note.
THE DRINKS Beer and wine are available. Not an extensive or particularly sophisticated selection, but perfectly food-friendly.
THE ATMOSPHERE Enter through the adjacent deli to a set of French doors on the left. The dining room is small and cozy with earth-toned walls. Among the photos on the walls are a few historical shots of Guiseppe in his first restaurant and photos of the original location.
THE SERVICE Our server was attentive, friendly and checked on us as we waited for my partner.
