RigaTony’s: That’s Amore
By Lori Pfeiffer
Start spreadin’ the news: The Italian fare at RigaTony’s Restaurant in Mesa is not only worth singing about; it’s a little “New York, New York” close to home.A spin-off of the original RigaTony’s in Chandler, this joint looks like a swingin’ Rat Pack hangout. It should. Owner Mike Lopercio--a New Yorker of Italian descent--was inspired by the ethnic neighborhood eateries he grew up with. He’s transformed the old First Interstate Bank building into a Little Italy stand-in that would make Universal Studios jealous. The teller counter is now an elegant bar. The vault has become a cozy dining room with a wine-cellar motif. Parchment-colored walls sport vintage photographs of movie stars and family members. For kicks, slide into a black leatherette booth in the Mafia Room and peruse the family trees of the Bambino and Genovese families. The crooner of choice here, of course: Frank Sinatra. The restaurant looks good, but the aroma of fresh-baked bread and bubbling sauces wafting from the kitchen makes it smell even better. It’s obvious the food is prepared with the same care as the decor. Lopercio derived many of the recipes from his mother. Others were painstakingly developed by Lopercio and Mike Crann, the managing partner. For example, the duo played with more than a dozen marinara sauce recipes before settling on the house special. RigaTony’s prep cooks arrive in the wee hours of the morning to start simmering the sauce, a dark-red tomato-y treasure that tastes like a sunny day in Sicily. Needless to say, it’s the star ingredient in many of the restaurant’s dishes.If you’re old enough, you’ll start the evening with a tiny glass of house Chianti. (If you’re young enough, you get a kid’s menu with games.) If that doesn’t whet your appetite, the fresh-baked house Ciabatta bread will. Its warm, yeasty interior contrasts nicely with its crunchy, herbed crust. In keeping with the 1940s theme, you can also order a Tony’s Special Bloody Mary, whose zing is created by a secret ingredient that I solemnly promised not to reveal. I mean, who knows how much of the mafia theme is just funnin’.The rest of the appetizers would make anyone’s hit list. I especially liked RigaTony’s calamari, because it’s hard to find squid this perfectly prepared—it’s not rubbery, soggy or coated with too many crumbs. Chef Ray Greene uses only Taiwanese calamari and soaks it in (what else?) a top-secret ingredient to achieve its tender texture. Another high note was the mozzarella pullapart, a cheesy wonder of mozzarella and tangy gorgonzola, grilled in bread and served with a racy roasted red pepper sauce. The flavorful risotto crab cakes, made with Maryland blue crab, were as moist as you can get without disintegrating. The bruschetta came with a satisfying roma tomato eggplant relish. Luckily for us, the first act was just a taste of things to come. For main dishes, diners can grab a pork chop, filet mignon, Norwegian salmon, chicken or veal from the grill. However, I thought the classic dishes took center stage—try the freshly made cheese ravioli or the capellini checca, angel hair pasta swirled with fresh roma tomatoes, feta cheese, basic and a smidge of garlic. Other classic dishes to try include the meat lasagna, which contains veal for a twist, and the chicken parmesan, which is not just hidden in breading, it’s enhanced by it. RigaTony’s pasta specialties are sure fan-pleasers. You’ll drool over the lobster fusilli, spirals of pasta paired with sweet lobster chunks, artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes in a cream sauce. The king of the hill definitely was the baked rigatoni, in which spicy Italian sausages hide in a molten, rich mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. This dish will get definitely get a replay on our next visit. If you are looking for amore in Mesa, sample the desserts. The Tiramisu is a must-try, because it is a classic Italian offering. RigaTony’s is prepared with imported mascarpone cheese and a secret ingredient to make it especially creamy and rich. The cappuccino pie sounded intimidating, but the bitter-sweet coffee gelato and the Oreo cookie crust form a pleasing duet. My favorite dessert was the apple bread pudding. I’m a bread pudding lover and am always disappointed by restaurant versions. I was happy to find that RigaTony’s version is moist, reserved and flavored with a delicate custard note. It comes drizzled with a frangelico caramel sauce. It doesn’t taste like my mom’s, but it tastes like somebody’s mother could have made it.So if you’re looking to melt those little-town blues away, don’t pack your bags for the city that never sleeps just yet. Head on over to RigaTony’s and you’ll be feeling like you’re the top of the heap in no time.RigaTony's
Lunch, Monday through Friday
Dinner Daily
223 E. Brown Road
Mesa
(480) 649-3333
www.rigatonys.com
Published in East Valley Magazine, March/April 2002, pp 44.
