May 10, 2009

19 YEARS OF "PIACIERE,"
MANY MORE TO COME

Piaciere (pron: pee- a-chay ray) is the Italian word for pleasure. "Piaciere" is what you say in Italy when you are introduced to someone. It is also the sensation you feel after having a memorable meal and great bottle of wine.

Aldo and I bought Ristorante Milano 19 years ago. We had just come back from living in Rome, and wanted a restaurant of our own. When the opportunity to buy Ristorante Milano came up, we scraped together every last penny (literally rolling coins) to make it happen.

That seems like a long time ago, and while we've hit a few bumps along the road, we're still here on Russian Hill preparing our favorite Italian recipes for our customers. What’s the secret of our longevity? We’ve kept the best of tradition while also trying something new. That's what Ristorante Milano is all about.

Aldo was born and raised in Rome. His grandfather, Ugo, owned a famous restaurant on the Roman Forum. As a little boy Aldo would accompany his grandfather on trips to the market for fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and meat. This is where Aldo learned the importance of selection and buying the best quality ingredients. His grandfather was a great host, and made friends with his famous patrons like Enrico Caruso and Segovia. Aldo was too young to take over the restaurant when his grandfather retired, but always kept that experience close to his heart.

Aldo came to Berkeley in the 70s and worked in rock-n-roll and restaurants, often traveling back home to Rome. He met me (a first-generation Italian-American, born in Niagara Falls) while I was working at a restaurant here in San Francisco. We fell in love, and moved to Rome for a couple of years. When we returned to San Francisco, we decided to dedicate ourselves to running our own restaurant and raising a family.

As the executive chef of Ristorante Milano, Aldo has taught numerous chefs how to make pasta and execute his recipes, many of which come from his family. He trains the waitstaff and almost every night is at the door to greet customers and see that they experience the satisfying piaciere of good food, wine, and service.

"What’s the secret of our longevity? We’ve kept the best of tradition while also trying something new. That's what Ristorante Milano is all about."