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Simple-MindedCiao Cucina is at its best when it sticks to the basics.by Louisa Koeppel
Unfortunately, the other appetizer was far from successful. Worse yet, the waiter recommended it with gusto. This dish, called Pan-fried Provolone, resembled something that might have been concocted by a poor graduate student in search of carbohydrates. Let me start from the bottom of the plate. The first layer was a thin slice of bread. A lackluster spreading of spicy tomato sauce covered this. On top of this were two layers of basil risotto with a thick layer of provolone in the middle. Surrounding this heap was a ring of leafy greens with balsamic vinaigrette. This dish could certainly be an entree not only because of its size, but also because of its heaviness. But I wouldn’t recommend it for anything. The dish simply does not work. Fortunately, the entrees stepped up to the plate (no pun intended) and showed us that simple is best. My companion decided to go for the linguini and grilled mushrooms, and I tried the grilled salmon. The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente texture and was served with a simple sauce of grilled portabella, cremini, and shiitake mushrooms. The deep, earthy flavors of the mushrooms combined well with sun-dried tomatos, basil, and olive oil.Each ingredient maintained its uniqueness but at the same time complemented the others. When I ordered my salmon, I was concerned that it might be too heavy for an August evening in Memphis. I was wrong. The salmon was chargrilled and served atop tender green lentils and Tuscan beans that had a slight tanginess as a result of the Orvieto wine and basil coating. The fish was cooked to a perfect medium rare and had a divine balsamic vinegar reduction drizzled on top. Once again, simplicity was the key to this dish, and the results were fabulous. A few days later, we returned for lunch. We tried the White-on-White Pizza, and it was the better of our choices that day. The yummy, thin crust was topped with garlic mashed potatoes (we would have liked more garlic), mozzarella, bacon, sour cream, and chives. It was like a loaded baked potato on a crust, but pleasing. Almost 20 minutes after we had finished our pizza, the entrees finally arrived. My chicken-and-goat-cheese salad was less than impressive. There was just a tiny smidgen of goat cheese and the grilled rosemary chicken was dry as a bone. The salad also included diced red pepper, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, toasted almonds, and several types of exotic greens. Once topped with the balsamic vinaigrette, it became a mush of complex flavors that really didn’t fit well together. My companion’s salmon burger was pretty good, although it was slightly salty. The focaccia it was served on was soft and fresh, and the ginger mustard mayo was a nice twist, but the burger did have quite a bit of bready filler and my companion decided to take it off the focaccia and eat it separately. It is clear that Ciao’s menu works best when they stick to simple,
fresh ingredients combined in thoughtful ways. It is when they
combine everything but the kitchen sink that the intent vanishes
and what is left is gastronomic confusion. Their food should maintain
the style that they have achieved in the decor of the restaurant
– simple, classic, metropolitan.
Dining Notesby Louisa Koeppel Plugged In The Apocalypse is coming September 1st. Stop your blubbering – we’re talking about the Apocalypse Cafe, located at 3573 Southern Avenue in the site formerly occupied by the Coffee Cellar. The Apocalypse Cafe, explains owner John Knapp, gets its name from the decor. Knapp, who has worked as a manager in several area restaurants, is filling the place with booths made from minivan seats and tables constructed out of refrigerator and oven doors and car windshields. “It’s definitely interesting,” says Knapp. Also part of the look are computer parts, which go with the eight computers hooked up to the Internet. Knapp says he decided to make his cafe wired for two reasons. First of all, he likes computers; secondly, he’s seen the success of other Internet cafes in different parts of the country. While Memphis has seen two places that have tried this approach come and go, Knapp feels confident that his cafe will have what it takes. In addition to Internet access, the Apocalypse Cafe will offer deli sandwiches, milkshakes, smoothies, and all sorts of coffee drinks. – Susan Ellis Some Like It Hot Or, according to Alyce Mantia of Mantia’s, a lot like it hot. Since opening in March of last year, Mantia’s, an international food market and restaurant located at 5648 Poplar, has offered a hot and spicy menu on Thursday nights. The menu proved to be so popular, Mantia extended it to Friday. But, she warns, sometimes demand is so great that the food runs out on Thursday. Mantia says that the hot and spicy menus were first created by Dmitri Phillips, who used to work for In Limbo. Phillips has since left Mantia’s so the torch has been passed on to Michael Grogan and Shawn Thomas. Among the fare are the made-to-order spicy catfish and the Caribbean curry steak. So exactly how hot is it? “We make it hotter than I like it,” admits Mantia. “It’s for our chili-head customers.” Mantia’s kitchen is open until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. – S.E. It Tastes Like Chicken Popeye’s Chicken is back with a bang after an (all too long!) absence from the city. The first Memphis store is located on Showcase Boulevard at Perkins and I-240. There is also a Popeye’s in Germantown. The 72-seat store is one of the company’s most successful, says Robb Conner with Popeye’s corporate office. While most stores average $16,000 to $20,000 a week, the Showcase Boulevard store brings in an average of $62,500. “We’re just jumping off the wall here in corporate,” Conner says of the store’s success. Popeye’s popularity shows in more than dollar signs: Cars at the Showcase store extend out to the street, and the lines inside often stretch outside. Conner says to expect several more Popeye’s to spring up around
Memphis in the near future. |
iao Cucina, located in Peabody Place, has gone through several
changes in the past few years. When they first opened their doors,
the chefs leaned toward more inventive menu items, but now it
seems that Ciao is looking to be more accessible rather than earth-moving.
While some menu items have been dumbed down to boring latitudes,
many of Ciao’s offerings are quite pleasing.
