Cafe Notte serves a taste of tapas
It's impossible not to feel Jerry and Debbie Santucci's excitement over their new Emsworth tapas restaurant, Cafe Notte, on Ohio River Boulevard.
They transformed an old motorcycle shop into a take-your-breath-away restaurant that has customers coming back week after week, and sometimes, day after day. It's not just the atmosphere they love, with the wood-burning brick fireplace and curved black ceiling with fiber-optic lights that look like twinkling stars in a night sky -- it's the eclectic, tapas-style cuisine, created by 21-year-old chef David Hurley.
"He's the most dedicated, conscientious and passionate chef I've ever met," says Jerry Santucci, a builder from Connecticut, who lives with his wife in Ben Avon. "Our customers are amazed by his presentation and overwhelmed when they eat it. What he does, and how he presents it, is like a marriage. This kid is so talented."
Hurley had been working at The Rusty Nail in Bellevue when he was asked by the Santuccis' son, Dave Mielnicki, to come in for an interview. The two men were acquaintances, and Mielnicki knew that Hurley was a chef who had graduated from the culinary program at Bidwell Training Center in the North Side. Debbie Santucci says that when Hurley presented his tryout dish to them, they knew he was special.
"He was incredible," says Debbie, 45, who owns the Curves business next door. "I knew we had our man." The Santuccis own the entire Santucci Plaza, where Cafe Notte is located. This is their first restaurant venture.
Even though Cafe Notte has been open since only November, the 40-seat restaurant has created a buzz in the neighborhood, where fine-dining establishments are few and far between. After Mielnicki, 23, a bartender, suggested to his parents last year that they open an upscale restaurant, the couple thought, "why not?" They love food, and people, and the idea appealed to them. Cafe Notte is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner five days a week.
"She designed it, and I built it with my son and brother-in-law, Mike Cooknick," says Jerry, 49. He and Debbie also have 4-year-old son Gennaro.
"The bar is handmade, solid black granite," he says. "The ladies room has individual bathrooms, to give women privacy. The men even comment on how nice their bathroom is. This is not a ballcap-wearing kind of place."
Even though Cafe Notte is considered upscale, the prices are far from it. Every tapas item on the menu is $11.99. David Hurley created about three-fourths of the menu, which includes soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and tapas. Debbie Santucci's award-winning white chili is on the menu, as is her and Jerry's antipasto.The luscious lobster bisque recipe comes from a restaurant in Rhode Island, whose owner made Debbie swear she would not serve it in another restaurant in that state.
Hurley's tapas selections are inspiring -- ahi tuna with citrus vinaigrette; filet mignon; shrimp and risotto; scallop scampi; mango scallops; duck confit coronets; and other mouthwatering ala carte items. Each tapas selection has a suggested wine pairing on the menu.
"We use the freshest ingredients possible and let them shine on their own," says Hurley, a Bellevue resident. "I don't like to mask natural flavors. Everything is cooked to order -- nothing is premade."
The restaurant obtains its produce from Sysco Produce, and its seafood is flown in from Honolulu fisheries. The beef is aged, prime select, from a company in Zelienople.
Another chef, Marlin Clark, bakes all of the scones, muffins and cookies fresh every morning. He even makes his own whipping cream for the specialty coffees; and his own cream cheese. Jerry Santucci says that they are trying to serve the best possible food at the best price.
"I'm from New England, and I was raised on eating fresh fish," he says. "When I came to Pittsburgh, I didn't find a lot of places that serve fresh fish. But people love to eat fresh seafood and fresh baked goods. We have a lot of people who come here who like meat, and they rave over our classic filets."
Hurley creates daily dinner specials, and credits the Santuccis for making Cafe Notte the kind of place he's proud to be associated with. The restaurant has 12 employees, and Hurley says they're all like family.
The Santuccis "give me the freedom to create what I want," he says. "They've given me high-quality kitchen equipment -- they provide me with everything."
Debbie Santucci says that they are thrilled with Hurley, and the way in which Cafe Notte has been received.
"Weekends are very busy, and we have limited seating, but we have a lot of room to expand," she says.
Her husband says their goal is "to grow."
"We are planning to have an outside patio in the spring, and I'm going to build a 6-foot wall so we lose sight of Ohio River Boulevard," he says. "We'll be able to increase the seating by 25. We also may possibly put in a barbecue pit."
This is the dish that chef David Hurley made for the Santuccis when he was trying out for the job at Cafe Notte.
• 6-ounce filet mignon, room temperature
• 1/8 cup goat cheese
• 1/4 cup mixed greens, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup olive tapenade (see recipe)
• Cabernet reduction (see recipe)
Put the filet mignon on a grill over medium-high heat. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare doneness, but if you want grill marks, turn the filet after 2 to 3 minutes each side. If the grill is too hot, you'll burn the steak, but if it's too low, you'll only "sweat" the steak, and it will get tough.
When the filet is done, let it stand for a couple of minutes before slicing. Slice the filet on an angle into four even strips. Separate the goat cheese into four even balls.
To plate: Put four mounds of mixed greens on a plate. Place a ball of goat cheese onto each strip of filet, and roll it up. Place each filet strip onto a mound of mixed greens. Put a heaping teaspoon of olive tapenade on top of each strip, then sprinkle a little more goat cheese on top.
Carmelize the cheese with a creme brulee torch, if you have one.
Drizzle the cabernet reduction over the top of each filet strip, and on the sides of the plate.
Serve immediately with a good Cabernet wine, to bring out all the flavors of the dish.
Makes 1 serving.
Cabernet reduction: Bring 1 bottle of cabernet wine to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it has a thick consistency, for about 20 to 30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar at the end for a bit of sweetness.
• Olive tapenade
• 1/8 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until the olives are smooth.
Additional Information:
Cafe Notte
Cuisine: Eclectic tapas
Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Entree price range: $11.99 for tapas
Notes: Major credit cards accepted. Handicapped-accessible. Accepts reservations for four or more. Suggested wine pairings. Daily dinner specials. Specialty cocktails and martinis, gourmet coffee and hand-pressed teas.
Address: 8070 Ohio River Blvd., Emsworth
Details: 412-761-2233
