ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 19, 1996 TAG: 9604190065
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Dining Out
TYPE: RESTAURANT REVIEW
SOURCE: DOLORES KOSTELNI SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
A good plate of pasta is a great meal. Just ask Giovanni Intravaia, the owner of Giovanni's, the newest Italian restaurant in town. Intravaia named his first restaurant after himself and admits to spending the greater part of 24 hours working "hands-on." He considers his tomato sauce "the main thing," and he prepares it from scratch.
Born in Palermo, Sicily, Intravaia moved to Chicago with his parents at the age of 15. He got his first taste of cooking for the public at the family restaurant north of Chicago. He learned cooking skills and techniques from his mother, who headed the kitchen staff. Intravaia worked his way through several restaurants before moving to Roanoke last year to be near his girlfriend. He opened Giovanni's in January and says he couldn't be happier with Roanoke. "At 37, I'm here to stay," he declares.
That means his cooking is here to stay, too.
Abundantly portioned appetizers are delicious on their own and a pleasant way to begin a leisurely meal as long as you don't fill up on them and miss out on the hearty Italian entrees. A mountain of thinly battered and gently fried calamari ($6.95) gave a glimpse of what could have been perfectly crunchy and light had they spent more time in the hot oil. Despite this, the little rings and tentacles were good enough to lead three of us down the path of compulsive nibbling. A gigantic antipasto salad ($5.75) scatters thinly sliced salami and provolone on top of lettuce, tomatoes, olives, peperoncini and dressing, a bounty that might spoil any appetite if you eat it all.
It's easy to enjoy a satisfying meal at Giovanni's because the preparations are fresh. A stellar dish, chicken Turino ($8.95) features tender, lightly sauteed strips of chicken breast, well seasoned with herbs, cooked in white wine and lemon juice, and served over a heaping bed of parsley-flecked pasta. This popular dish comes in first place even on the lunch buffet: Its compartment empties quickly and often, despite frequent refillings.
Shrimp a la Giovanni ($10.95) offers a half-dozen picture-pretty, delicious jumbo shrimp that are full of frisky garlic and wine flavors. These tender crustaceans go well with the amply portioned side dish of spaghetti marinara, the starch accompaniment to all nonpasta entrees.
Of the three classic veal dishes ($10.95 - $11.95) listed on the menu, we selected veal scaloppine ($10.95) and although this thinly sliced Provimi veal is a high-quality product, it would have benefited from an expert pounding. This dish presents several slightly chewy but nicely cut medallions of veal glistening with a barely sweet, red vermouth deglazing sauce. Sliced onions and green peppers added character and crunch.
From the pasta entrees, we ordered cheese ravioli ($6.45), to share as a prima piatti, an Italian-style first course. Even though these delightfully light pasta pillows needed more of a plumping with the ricotta filling, the freshly made meat sauce strengthened the dish and made it an agreeable starter.
When the urge to have unlimited amounts of good Italian food overwhelms you, try Giovanni's lunch buffet ($4.50). It's impossible to resist the trays of fragrant chicken Turino, herb-speckled or cream-sauced pasta, hot vegetables, homemade meatballs in tomato sauce, a meatless ziti casserole, chicken parmigiana, and manicotti, plump rolled pasta sheets bursting with a stuffing of ricotta cheese. A filmy blanket of melted mozzarella cheese adds to the attractiveness of the casseroles. An adjacent salad bar with a huge bowl of lettuce and sides of tomatoes, red onion slices, croutons, bell peppers, sliced Italian bread and dressings complete the appealing array.
Roanokers have already discovered this bonanza: On the two occasions I came for lunch, the brightly lit dining room was fully occupied. The buffet is constantly maintained by Giovanni's staff. The surveillance pays off with replenishments that are sometimes more tempting than the originals. I saw everyone line up and pounce on the fettuccine alfredo when it replaced the herbed spaghetti.
Who needs dessert after all this food? In the line of duty, I ordered a cannoli ($1.95) the crisply fried pastry canoe filled with sweetened ricotta and chocolate bits. Eating it was a pleasure, right down to the last forkful. There is no espresso to go with it, but the regular house coffee (95 cents) is fresh, dark and hot.
Unmistakable freshness, clean flavors and wholesome preparation set Giovanni's Italian dishes above the crowd. The chef treats his raw materials with respect, especially the pastas, which he serves with brightly seasoned sauce. All this, plus good dollar value, a congenial staff and a sparkling clean dining room, give you reasons to try this new restaurant. GIOVANNI'S 5301 Williamson Road
(next to Blueberry Hill)
265-1161
HOURS: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Friday
4 p.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
BEVERAGES: full-service alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages
PRICE RANGE: Lunch buffet: $4.50
Sandwich menu: $2.95-$5.70
Dinner: $4.95-$14.95
CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: Visa,
MasterCard, American Express, Discover
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED? no
NONSMOKING SECTION? yes
Dolores Kostelni is the author of "Cookies by the Dozen," which will be published in October by Warner Books.
LENGTH: Medium: 100 linesby CNB