When Capisce? Ristorante Italiano opened its doors in May, it already enjoyed a built-in advantage: a panoramic view of Springfield no area restaurant could match. Even its manager acknowledges the restaurant’s prime location on the 30th floor on the Hilton Springfield draws customers who may be unfamiliar with its eclectic, authentic Italian menu.
“The view brings them here. Then they eat and are surprised that a young chef
can cook like that,” says Capisce? restaurant director Paolo Foscherari, a native
of Genoa, Italy. “Eighty percent of the people come for the view. But there
are only 12 window seats, so it’s on a first come, first serve basis.”
Capisce?, which means “do you understand?” in Italian, replaced Gumba Ya Ya’s,
which for eight years served Cajun food in the space. The renovated dining room
now features aquamarine walls decorated with large, vibrant photos of flowers,
modern glass vases and mirrors. Glass sconces and bulbous white chandeliers
illuminate the space. Aqua-patterned, U-shaped booths facing the windows also
provide more seats with a view.
Foscherari, who spent 10 years working for an Italian cruise line, as well
as restaurants in France and Miami Beach, was previously the Hilton’s banquet
director. He says the restaurant’s philosophy is “to satisfy every guest and
serve authentic Italian food with a flair.”
Capisce? chef David Ritzo, 28, is a Jacksonville native who graduated from
the Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts in Rhode Island
and trained in Milan and England before returning to central Illinois. Before
joining Capisce?, he was the chef at Augie’s Front Burner. “It’s not a traditional
Italian restaurant,” he says. “There’s an American flair to the dishes” to accommodate
local taste buds. “I try to focus on what sells to the public here,” he adds,
focusing his menu on meat, fish and pasta. Any kind of steak special is a guaranteed
customer favorite, he says.
Although Ritzo says he likes to cook all kinds of food, he developed an appreciation
of Italian cuisine when visiting relatives in Sicily in the mid-’90s. “Everyone
in Italy has a passion for seasonal ingredients and fresh produce. They survive
on what they grow,” he says. He takes that traditional use of fresh ingredients
and uses them in new ways. Even the desserts receive special treatment. The
tiramisu, for example, uses traditional ingredients like Belgian chocolate sauce
with espresso, dark rum and amaretto. The rich ingredients are blended and served
in a round glass, rather than as an expected layered cake.
Ritzo, who makes his own pasta, also butchers the pork to make his double-cut
pork chops. “I could get a job in a butcher shop if I had to,” he says.
During a recent visit to the restaurant, my dining companion tried the lobster
bisque, which was creamy and tasty. Our helpful waiter suggested the crab cakes
as an appetizer and he was right. They were crispy toasted lumps of blue crab,
served with a citrus chipotle aioli and topped with fried onion straws. Other
appetizers include calamari, antipasti, steamed mussels and crab stuffed shrimp.
Pasta entrees include Cannelloni alla Nettuno (a mix of crackled garlic shrimp
folded with gumbo blue crab and seafood in homemade rolled pasta); Cannelloni
Tutti Carni (cannelloni filled with veal, pork, mild Italian sausage, beef and
spices) and Roasted Garlic Pesto Shrimp Linguini, which provided a mild medley
of flavor.
Entrees include Modena Style Duck Breast (pan-seared boneless maple leaf duck
breast, served over ratatouille brunoise sauté with couscous and Modena balsamic
reduction). The tender slices of duck almost melt in your mouth. Other entrees
include Cinisari Pork Loin (double-cut pork loin chop served over soft polenta
with caramelized apples, chipotle honey glaze and crispy leeks); New York Steak
Gorgonzola (grilled steak topped with caramelized onions, melted gorgonzola
cheese, wild mushroom polenta and marsala sauce; and Grilled New Zealand Lamb
(served with herbed parmesan horseradish crust, basil pesto oil and risotto
Milanese timballo).
Fall and winter specials include Apple Wood Smoked Pork Brisket (wrapped in
phyllo with chipotle honey roasted pumpkin and veal stock reduction); Braised
Oxtail Ravioli (served with seared Hudson Valley foie gris, butternut squash
puree and caramelized shallot apricot sauternes reduction) and Ballotine of
Farm Raised Pheasant (with sage pheasant mouse, crisp pancetta, roasted acorn
squash and candied walnuts).
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Capisce? is located on the top floor of the Hilton Springfield,
700 E. Adams St. Phone: 217-789-1530. Hours: 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Reservations
recommended but not required.
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Tasting Springfield
The state’s tourism office is trying to tempt people to visit the capital
city for its unique food offerings. A travel package now being advertised is
called a “Taste of Springfield” and highlights some of the city’s culinary treats.
The package includes two nights at the Comfort Inn, a box of Pease’s Candy,
horseshoes at the Barrel Head, Cozy Dogs at the Cozy Drive In on Route 66 and
dinner at the historic Chesapeake Seafood House. The promotional package is
available through March 31, 2004 and costs $225 for two people.
The tourism office is part of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity. For more information, contact Valerie Cowen at 217-787-2250.
This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2003.
