Viva Nino!

A chat with Donatello's main ingredient

by John Scott

From the pages of Route One Magazine

    Just say his name.…Nino. Is that enough for you to realize you're about to experience a dining journey like no other? A particular palatable pleasure, as the late great Bill Marlowe used to say, "will make your taste buds stand up and salute, like little tin soldiers."

    Leaving school temporarily 24 years ago and never looking back, he began at one of Boston's premiere Italian restaurants, where he trained and studied under the culinary master, his dad. Now serving it up his way at the most exclusive Italian restaurant on Route 1 (You haven't been there? Shame.) I caught up with the industrious chef Nino at the commencement of a typical busy day, at his ristorante in Saugus.

When did your culinary career initially begin, and what got you involved in the restaurant business?

    I originally began in 1976. I started at Davio's on Newbury Street in Boston where my father was the head chef and my cousin was the owner. I was actually attending college at the time and my cousin was opening up the restaurant, which I believe was January of that same year. My cousin upon opening the establishment was looking for someone to help him out since he was just starting. So I decided that I would take a leave of absence from school temporarily and then go back, which like the story goes "never happened." I began helping my father in the kitchen, and eventually was running the restaurant.

Now here you are walking into a restaurant on trendy Newbury Street with no experience. Who gave you the training, and were there any chefs whom you idolized or were influenced by?

    Mostly my father who was responsible for teaching me the basic principles and other types of things such as the different cuts of vegetables, how to start a stock and he essentially gave me my foundation in the kitchen. Eventually I began learning and being influenced from other chefs that I would come in contact with through either working with them or by discussing various methods or experiences they had, coupled with my own interpretations.

Did you eventually become a partner at Davio's?

    I had a situation set up where I would share a percentage of profits.

Where did you go after leaving Davio's and when was that?

     I decided to open a restaurant with my brother and we opened Davide in 1982.

That is the location still on Commercial Street in Boston?

    Yes.

Are you still affiliated with the restaurant now?

    No.

The name Davio and Davide are similar; can you explain the meaning and significance?

    Yes, my father's name is Davide, which means David in Italian, but people refered to him as Davio, which means Dave and that is how we came to name the restaurants as such.

Was your dad active at Davide's?

    Yes, my father was involved continually until around 1988 when we opened Donatello's.

Does your style of cuisine reflect any particular region of Italy?

    I am from a small town in central Italy called Abruzzi. I'm sure I probably prepare those centrally influenced dishes the best, but I like to think that I am totally diversified and reflect many regions of Italy.

Does the menu at Donatello's have any similarities in terms of what you were serving during your years in Boston?

    Oh no, there is a lot of difference in the presentation, the way we serve and what we are offering now. I think there may be one dish we serve now that was on the menu at Davio's. It was something my father taught me and I don't dare take it off the menu because I fear the customers will be asking for my head.

I'll get to that dish in just a minute. Explain the daily preparation you do as a routine to get ready for the dinner menu and your selection of vendors?

    I get in early in the morning and see what the market and my purveyors have to offer on that particular given day. I discuss the options and inquire as to the availability of meats, fish, vegetables and pasta. We have a reputation for outstanding fish. I attribute this to our ability to go the extra mile and buy everything fresh. All the fish on the menu is fresh, absolutely nothing is frozen with the exception of shrimp and I think that is the reason people rave so enthusiastically about our seafood selections.

So you are buying right off the dock?

     Let's say, for example, I plan on serving a red snapper dish on a particular evening. If we get to the dock that day and the red snapper is not looking great, I will alter the menu based on whatever catch looks good on that particular day.

Give me some examples of the fish dishes that you prepare?

    For appetizers naturally we have calamari. We also have some nice roasted shrimp. In terms of entrees, salmon with a pistachio crust served in a champagne orange basil sauce, swordfish steak grilled and served over Swiss chard drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, also sautéd trout topped with crab meat and lemon caper sauce.

Sounds incredible. What would you say is the most popular menu item or considered the house specialty?

    It would have to be the veal chop, which is the dish I learned from my father and was offered at Davio's.

How do you prepare it?

     It's veal chop valdostana, which is veal chop stuffed with prosciutto, fontina cheese, breaded and served with veal demi glaze and roasted peppers.

Nice. I'm sure I know the answer to this next one…. the most popular dessert is?

     Tiramisu

Of course. How often does your menu change?

    It depends; I try to change it approximately once per year, maybe more. It's tough because customers get used to certain things on the menu. So what I'll do is change the style, execution or try and reflect a different region of Italy.

Since the specials change daily, how do you decide on offerings?

     The specials will change daily and may reflect the season. For example now in my soups, I'm incorporating various squashes into them and offering game dishes for entrees. In the spring, I'll utilize things like fresh peas and squash blossoms.

What is your personal favorite dish on the menu?

    Well let's put it this way, it's very tough for me to say what I don't like. I love fish, especially halibut.

Dining Italian is so popular and continues to grow. Do you actually study the market looking for hot new trends, or try and stick to basics?

    I try and stay with traditional style dishes, but I always like to put a new little curve on them. Perhaps changing something slightly with a new look, or creating a slightly unique flavor. This might be by utilizing a hot new herb or spice that is being used. For example, let's say I'm serving tuna: I might pan sear the tuna and serve it rare with Italian bean salad adding a little aged balsamic vinegar and just a touch of wasabi creating a slightly different, distinct flavor.

What is the most gratifying thing that has ever happened to you as chef?

    Probably, when I get a compliment from a customer telling me that what they just experienced was the best they ever had, or that they've traveled around to many restaurants and my particular dish was outstanding. I would consider that most gratifying for me.

Other than Donatello's of course, where can you be found dining along the Route 1 area?

    I really love to eat at "Out Of Asia"; I would say next to my own restaurant, that is the place I like best