In 1978, when the Sacco family found the original location for their intimate, 40-seat Italian eatery, they repeatedly told curious inquirers that they were going to have this "little, little restaurant."
The double adjective blossomed into the restaurant's name, Piccolo Piccolo, or "little little" in Italian. Today, however, the business -- which moved from Third Avenue in 1981 to the edge of Downtown by the Monongahela River -- is not quite "piccolo piccolo" anymore. Despite its seating for 90, however, it has retained its intimate, homey atmosphere plus an air of formality amid elegant historical surroundings.
Miniature statues and antique vases in Piccolo Piccolo's dining room stir up images of the Louvre Museum in Paris. However, says executive chef Frank Sacco, the cuisine should take diners to only one geographic location: Rome.
"What makes this place special is the fact that we make every effort to make every person that comes in here feel comfortable, have an authentic, Roman-style meal and leave feeling as though they've gotten a value in service and in food," says Sacco, 49, of Lawrenceville. His wife, Robyn, and parents -- founders Marco and Paula -- all are involved in the restaurant's management.
Because Rome lies in the southern half of Italy, Piccolo Piccolo's cuisine has more southern than northern Italian accents. However, Sacco says, elements of both Italian styles appear, with both red and white sauces on the menu. What mainly distinguishes Piccolo Piccolo as Roman is its antipasto -- Italian appetizers that come before the pasta, such as bruschetta and cured meats.
The restaurant has long offered an antipasto bar as part of every full meal. Now, Piccolo Piccolo is moving toward an a la carte menu; an item would feature the main dish, a salad and bread. Antipasto favorites would be available as appetizers made to order, either singularly or grouped as samplers. This change will lead to less expensive menu items; those ordering antipasto with the main meal will end up paying about the same price and get fresher food, Sacco says.
"We wanted the restaurant to be like a Roman trattoria," he says, describing a type of family-owned Italian restaurant that cooks everything to order. Rome, Sacco says, is "the cultural New York of Italy."
Main dishes on Sacco's menu, which shifts quarterly except for standard favorites, include items with veal, fish and chicken, and seafood pastas. Piccolo Piccolo's signature dish is strudel of pasta: spinach, three cheeses and many spices are rolled into a flat pasta, which then rolls up into a strudel topped with sauce and, optionally, meat. Other favorites are linguine with clams, and chicken piccata with crabmeat, the chef says.
Diners eat amid the scenery of a mini-museum. Pictures of the Sacco family, some dating to the mid-19th century, cover parts of the walls in the dining room, and a collection of autographed photos from celebrities covers part of the wall near the bar.
The rich and famous -- including Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, who dined at Piccolo Piccolo on her winter visit to Pittsburgh -- enjoy the restaurant because the intimate yet formal atmosphere seems to keep the curious away, Sacco says.
"It feels like it's private," says Sacco, who grew up in the Baldwin-Whitehall area, adding, "You feel like you're in your grandmother's home," while other diners are in their own grandmothers' homes.
Serve this with roasted potatoes or risotto.
Lamb Osso Buco
- 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) large lamb foreshank, or 2 lamb hindshanks
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup dry red wine, preferably a Burgundy or Chianti
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 long stem fresh rosemary, cut in half
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, plus a pinch of chopped for garnish
- 2 cloves whole garlic, smashed with the side of a knife blade
In a pan, saute the carrots and celery in margarine until the vegetables begin to soften. Set aside. Heat the oven to 300 degrees.
Pour the vegetable oil into a ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the shank and heat on high until hot but not smoking. Sprinkle the lamb with salt, pepper and garlic powder, dust with flour and sear on all sides in the skillet, until golden brown. Turn the heat down to medium and add the sauteed vegetables and stock. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Add the marinara sauce and blend.
Place the shank and sauce into a small roasting pan, and add 1/2 piece of the rosemary, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley and the garlic cloves. The liquid should be halfway up the side of the roasting pan.
Cover and cook in the oven for 4 hours, basting about every half-hour. When the lamb is tender, skim the oil from the drippings. Place the shank on a plate and garnish with the defatted drippings, the pinch of chopped parsley and remaining 1/2 piece of rosemary.
Makes 2 servings.
Additional Information:
