| Ottavio's Italian Is Fresh, Filling And Affordable | ||
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 01/25/2002 | |
| PROVO -- When Lenny Belvedere, Vic Balsano and Otto Ottavio arrived here in the late 1980s in search of construction projects, they found a food shortage. Provo had no Italian restaurants similar to what the trio owned in California. So, they did what any enterprising developers would do: they decided to open their own. They found a historic building on Center Street, circa 1908, gutted it and hired an Italian brick mason to build a 16-foot, wood-fired oven. They left some of the aged brick exposed, but other walls were plastered over to become large canvasses for Midvale artist Cory Dangerfield, who spent several months painting murals depicting Italian life and street scenes. Sleek, expensive touches were added: polished granite counters and tabletops, and copper accents around the cooking area. But Ottavio's is essentially a casual family restaurant, with reasonably priced, good food. Sauces, breads and most of the desserts are made in house, and they taste like it. Ottavio's also has a full-service liquor license, a rare commodity in Utah County. Most of the food is southern Italian, meaning lots of red sauce and pasta. The emphasis is on quality ingredients, not garnishes. That works: kids don't care much about food presentation, and Provo has one of the youngest populations in the nation. Favorites on the menu range from pizza and lasagna to veal parmigiana and rigatoni with sausage. Dinners come with soup or salad; all meals include Ottavio's soft foccacia bread, cut in large chunks and ready for dipping in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Ottavio's marinara sauce is slightly sweet, tangy and full-flavored, with the unmistakable flavor of fresh tomatoes. When used in moderation, it is an asset. Overuse causes a saucy conundrum. The veal parmigiana ($8.95 at lunch, $13.95 at dinner) is literally drowning in the stuff, which is a shame. It overpowers the tender meat and melted mozzarella. The extra sauce can't be put to good use, either, because the side dish of pasta has its own sauce, although it looks like an afterthought -- a dab of sauce on a bowl of naked penne. Sauciness isn't a problem with the pizza, which has a good proportion of crust to sauce and cheese. Ottavio's crust is thick and slightly chewy, with a good salty flavor. Pizzas are 10 inches and range in price from $7.25 for cheese to $10.25 for a four-topping pie, with choices of predictable pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and onions to a few exotic foods -- spinach, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Pair it with a respectable but not great Caesar salad ($6.50), and you have a nice meal, with leftovers. Two of Ottavio's best dishes are the rigatoni fra diavolo ($7.95 and $10.95) and cannelloni, stuffed with a mix of chicken, beef and veal, and topped with meat sauce ($6.95 and $10.95). The marinara on the rigatoni has been lightened with cream and flavored with sauteed black olives and onions. The flavor is rich and spicy enough to cause a flush but no pain. It is a large serving, enough for dinner and lunch the next day. The cannelloni is tender (none of the pasta is fresh, but the kitchen knows how to cook the dried stuff properly) with a nicely seasoned filling and a lavish topping of melted mozzarella. It is a simple dish, but that is its charm. Here, too, the serving is generous. The appetizer menu is brief: bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms (dinner only), calamari, caprese salad of tomatoes and mozzarella, and garlic bread. The calamari ($7.50) is a huge order, enough for four people, and is meltingly tender. The only improvement would be another dip besides the marinara, maybe a garlicky mayonnaise. All of the desserts look wonderful, but we sampled only the tiramisu, which was a structured version of this classic with a thick layer of mascarpone cheese on top. It is sweet, but doesn't have the hint of marsala wine it should. Service at Ottavio's is efficient and genuinely friendly. On one of our visits, the server had a trainee in tow, evidence that new hires get supervised practice before being turned loose. The wine list won't win any awards, but it's on a par with the food: solid, mostly California vintages (with the exception of a half-dozen imported Chiantis) that will complement the menu's hearty flavors. With its proximity to the Seven Peaks Ice Arena and its liquor menu, Ottavio's is well-positioned to serve Olympic visitors. While the food isn't fancy, it is fresh, filling and affordable. That's a language anyone can understand. Ottavio's 71 E. Center St., Provo; 801-377-9555 Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Prices: Entrees from $6.50 to $17 Liquor: Full bar, wine list Reservations: Large parties only Child's Menu: Yes Takeout: Yes Wheelchair Accessible: Yes Parking: Street Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
||
