Peasant pantry powers Poor Italian

By Jagdeesh Mann
Mata Press Service 
 
At the corner of 1st Avenue and Rupert in Vancouver, beyond the picture of B.C.’s most recognizable news anchor, Gabriella Moscone is in an animated discussion with maitre’d/sommelier Gianfranco Loi over the events that are scheduled to unfold on this night.
In the kitchen, chef John Costanzi is tense because the mushrooms in the Risotto Fungi are not up to his standard.
“Let’s get another batch,” the 25-year-old commands with a culinary passion that reinforces his philosophy that the ingredients are the stars of the show.
The organized chaos that resemble preparations for an Italian wedding suddenly give way to a tranquil Tuscany-inspired ambience as the clock strikes five.
“We are ready,” declares Moscone as the doors open to The Poor Italian -- a place where the epicurean secrets of peasants are used to conjure up dinner delights fit for a king. In a city that boasts an array of fine dining establishments, The Poor Italian stands out for its simplicity derived from the pantry of the poor.
“The best dishes of Italy evolved from the peasant’s pantry,” said Costanzi, who started cooking when he was 15. “Here the kitchen is the heart of the business, where we aim everyday to make authentic and refined meals that are true to the Italian lifestyle.”
Over the past year Moscone, a former radio producer and mother of two daughters, has been at the helm of The Poor Italian after veteran restaurateur Tomaso Bresciani teamed up with the Moscone landscaping brothers and Tony Parsons -- yes, the one with the picture at the entrance of the restaurant.
The genesis of the Poor Italian stems from this cabal’s acute business acumen and a desire to showcase the traditional foods of their homeland. “There is a saying in Italian that if you can find real estate at the entrance of a freeway, you should buy it,” said Bresciani.
The restaurant’s strategic location gives easy access from the North Shore and the Fraser Valley, while only being a 10-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.
While location has played a critical role in the restaurant’s success, it is Moscone’s maternal instincts and professional background that has lifted The Poor Italian from just being another Italian eatery.
“We pay attention to everything . . . our food is at the heart of the Italian experience . . . our wines enhance that experience,” said Moscone, pointing to a vast collection of wines inside a specially built, temperature-controlled showcase that is constantly mothered by the resident sommelier, Loi, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of his charges.
Moscone is especially proud of her extended family -- “we don’t call them employees” -- who have been imbued with a sense of “getting everything right, for everyone, everyday.”
For the patrons of The Poor Italian, that is a guarantee of real people serving unreal food.

COMPANY: THE POOR ITALIAN, 3296 E. 1ST AVE., VANCOUVER. WWW.POORITALIAN.COM

EMPLOYEES: 35.

PHILOSOPHY: “PEASANT FOOD FIT FOR A KING”

CUSTOMER COMMENT: “REMINDS US OF FAMILY RUN RESTAURANTS IN THE SMALL TOWNS OF TUSCANY.”
 – OPENTABLE.COM