Best of Italy on menu at Bravo Franco's
Bravo Franco Ristorante was born Oct. 23, 1997, on Penn Avenue in the Cultural District, a partnership of three business associates.
For the past three years, however, one family has been running the popular Italian restaurant. Carole Lauterbach, the mother, serves as hostess and manager. Son Mark Lauterbach bartends, while another son, Peter Lauterbach, is the executive chef who handles the financial aspects of the business.
It's a challenge as well as a joy working with family, says Peter Lauterbach, 42.
"We all have our own jobs to perform," he says. "We try not to step on each other's toes -- we're on the same wavelength and page. There is never a dull moment, and every day is a new challenge."
If the name "Franco" sounds familiar, it's because there are two Franco's Trattorias in the South Hills area. Bravo Franco Ristorante originally was known as Franco's Ristorante in 1986 at the same location.
"My mentor, Franco D'Amico, opened this restaurant with his partner and moved on to Fox Chapel," says Lauterbach, a Canonsburg resident. "The partner stayed here and sold the restaurant to Harry Guidotti in 1994. In 1997, Franco, myself, and another business associate formed Bravo Franco. Since then, Franco has retired and the Franco's in Fox Chapel has closed, but his sons have the other two locations. My family bought out the other associate."
The spacious, elegant Downtown restaurant has 117 seats inside, including 20 at the bar, and 24 outside. Because it's in close proximity to Heinz Hall, the O'Reilly Theater and the Benedum Center, theater-goers make up a large portion of the restaurant's clientele.
"Everyone wants served at the same time before theater performances," Lauterbach says with a chuckle. "Patrons still expect us to feed them in a timely fashion, and we do our best. There are a lot of great eating establishments here in the Cultural District, but we hold our own."
Lauterbach credits his sous chef, Josh Ross, with keeping the kitchen in line.
"Josh is my right hand man here," Lauterbach says. "He heads up the kitchen and does a lot of the cooking. I work earlier in the day."
Even though Lauterbach is of German heritage, he learned the old-school Italian way of cooking from D'Amico when he was just 18. He went to high school with D'Amico's son, Joe, and "fell in love with the way his family cooked."
"Franco gave me my foundation, so I was leaps and bounds ahead of the other students when I went to Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island," Lauterbach says, referring to a Providence university that offers degrees in culinary arts. "I was given a scholarship and I was also on the teaching staff for two years. I excelled because of my early training."
The menu is all Franco's, says Lauterbach, although he has "Americanized" it to some extent, he says.
"Our specials are mine, but the core menu is Franco's," Lauterbach says. "We try to offer weekly specials and seasonal specials, and are featuring pumpkin tortellini right now.
"Our most popular items are the osso buco and stuffed trout Florentine," he says. "Our veal is outstanding -- we get it from JoMar Provisons in the Strip District. We get most of our other specialty items from Pennsylvania Macaroni in the Strip District, and our fish comes from Samuels and Sons out of Philadelphia."
Lauterbach has 10 veal entrees on his extensive menu, including veal scallopine, marsala, piccata, broiled veal chop, osso buco and veal forestale. Seafood entrees include swordfish, tuna steak, wild Pacific salmon, sea bass, jumbo sea scallops, seafood bouillabaisse, South African broiled lobster tail and stuffed shrimp.
He also features steak and lamb entrees as well as chicken dishes and unusual pasta entrees. The appetizers feature Oysters Rockefeller, oysters on the half shell, mussels marinara, fried calamari, blackened shrimp, smoked salmon, prosciutto and melon and stuffed portabello mushrooms.
"We offer a lot more on our menu than most places," Lauterbach says.
The hardest part about owning a restaurant is getting and keeping good help, he says. But the best part is having the freedom to enjoy everyday life.
"I have the satisfaction of knowing I'm putting my name out there," Lauterbach says. "I'm very proud of that."
This is Peter Lauterbach's creation and is a popular special at the restaurant. He suggests serving this dish with a light merlot or a good chardonnay.
Veal can be substituted for this dish if desired.
• 4 tablespoons of a 50-50 blend of vegetable and olive oils
• 3 (2 ounces each) chicken breast pieces, pounded flat and dusted in flour
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 jumbo shrimp, floured
• 2 (1 ounce each) mozzarella balls, sliced into thirds
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 dozen grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 rib green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh tomato sauce
• 6 basil leaves, chopped chiffonade-style
• Dash of salt and pepper, to taste
Heat the blended oils over high heat in a skillet or saute pan.
Wait until the oil smokes, then place the chicken breasts in the skillet from back to front, so you don't splash oil on yourself.
Cook for 1 1/2 minutes per side ( see Photo 1 ), until the chicken is golden brown. Drain some of the oil off so it won't coagulate the sauce.
Add the minced garlic and cook until brown.
Deglaze the skillet with white wine, then add the shrimp ( Photo 2 ).
Place the mozzarella cheese slices on top of the chicken breasts, then add the chicken broth.
Place in a 350-degree oven for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.
Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
Finish the sauce by adding the grape tomatoes, green onions and parsley. Add the butter and stir well. Add the tablespoon of tomato sauce and the basil, and incorporate thoroughly.
Take the shrimp and put on the plate, in the middle of the breasts.
Pour the sauce over the shrimp and breasts, and serve.
Makes 1 serving.
Additional Information:
Bravo Franco Ristorante
Cuisine: Italian
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; Fridays and Saturdays, Sunday hours depend on the theater schedule.
Entree price range: $14.95-$42.95
Notes: Full bar and select wine list. Handicaped accessible. Major credit cards accepted. Reservations strongly recommended.
Address: 613 Penn Ave., Downtown
Details: 412-642-6677 or Web site
