DaVinci's - Naples Daily News

M
RESTAURANT REVIEW
By Leigh Tahirovic
Photos by Glenn Walton
DaVinci’s
A Taste of Genius – DaVinci’s Melds Two Worlds Over Dinner
Upon hearing the name Da Vinci, one immediately
presumes that something is
of a certain quality, of the highest caliber,
a masterpiece, no less. So, it comes
as no surprise that DaVinci’s Ristorante
is a masterpiece.
Like the restaurant’s genius namesake, DaVinci’s
finds success in vastly different disciplines of study.
Whether you enjoy their Italian cuisine or sushi,
DaVinci’s creates edible works of art, palatable on
so many levels.
While I’ve sampled my fair share of Island eateries,
I hadn’t had the pleasure of dining at DaVinci’s
until recently, when my husband Rama and I had a
monthly opportunity to escape our two children for
a night out. The evening was relatively cool, so we
opted to dine outside on the beautiful patio at Marco
Walk. There was an amazing amount of hustle
and bustle from the other restaurants, so the setting
might not suit everyone. For those seeking a quieter
dining atmosphere, the interior seating is perfect.
For our first course, Rama opted for a seafood salad,
a mixture of shrimp, calamari, mussels and sea
scallops, marinated in EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil,
for those who don’t watch Rachael Ray), garlic,
parsley and celery. And, on the recommendation of
our server, I had the carpaccio, a plate of thin slices
of filet mignon, topped with arugol, tomato, capers,

ed onion and olive oil.
Rama loved his dish, commenting
on the freshness of the seafood,
while I was disappointed in
mine, due to its lack of robust flavor.
I remedied that with a little
red wine vinegar, which I’m sure
would cause the chef to look at me
with disdain.
For the main course, I selected
the osso buco alla Milanese.
The menu describes the dish as
braised veal shank, cooked to
perfection in its own sauce and
served with risotto, but doesn’t
describe the amazing combination
of zip and zing each bite contains.
I was so thrilled with my selection
that I packed up my leftovers to
take home.
Selecting a dish from a list of
evening specials, Rama chose a
New York strip steak, basted with
(Left) Chef Giovanni Terraglia surrounded
by some of his staff, Christine Brown, Davide
Valenti, Roberto Cusumano, Francesco
Serravalle, Luke Purvis, and Derek Heuston.
(Below) Sushi men - Luke Phillips, left, has
worked with head sushi chef Kazuo Seto for
12 years. The two bring their own distinctive
flair to DaVinci’s.

mushroom sauce and served with fresh vegetables.
It came a little under-cooked for his taste, but was
beautifully presented.
Sushi was something Rama couldn’t pass up, so he
ordered a California roll and, my favorite, a soft-shell
crab roll, which wasn’t on the menu, but was prepared
at my request. We shared them both, and I don’t believe
I have ever had sushi so fresh. The textures were ripe,
the flavor at its peak, and did I mention how fresh it was?
With barely enough room left, we both ordered dessert.
Normally, I am the one who goes for traditional (safe)
foods, so I was a bit taken back when Rama ordered a
tiramisu that was big enough for us both. It didn’t quite
cut the mustard at the masterpiece level, but was still tasty.
I enjoyed a very (safe) satisfying dish of raspberry gelato
encased in chocolate, the highlight of the combination.
Our evening at DaVinci’s was a masterpiece, mostly
because of the food, but also its ambiance and the absence
of children. The next time I go, it will be a toss-up between
the freshest sushi around or the pizza that looks and smells
so tempting it threatens to overwhelm me. M
Panna cotta is
Italian custard
made with
vanilla bean.
Carpaccio is thinly sliced
filet mignon, topped with
arugol, shaved parmigiano,
reggiano cheese, capers, red
onions and olive oil.
Profitterolo is vanilla
ice cream in homemade
pastry puff
topped with hot fudge.
Da Vinci’s
bartender
Vera Rutledge
is a native of
Austria.
MARCO | 38
Chef Giovanni Terraglia at DaVinci’s
is a native of Avelino, Italy. He works closely with his
sous chef, Francesco Carvelli.

DaVinci’s
dishes up worldly cuisine
By Lance Shearer
Say you have a successful Italian restaurant on Marco,
still going strong after 15 years. How do you keep
moving forward, to stay fresh? Add a sushi bar. That’s
exactly what DaVinci’s Ristorante at Marco Walk did.
While this approach may seem a tad schizophrenic
in concept, offering both Italian and sushi — foods
from opposite sides of the globe — but this affords people of different tastes
or desires with a place where everyone can get what they want. It’s almost
as if Leonardo da Vinci himself had a hand in crafting this pairing.
“The owners love sushi, and it definitely is a trend,” said DaVinci’s manager
Adamo Gerravalle, explaining why the restaurant added sushi offerings in
January. “People want to eat healthy today, and the
two healthiest types of cooking are Mediterranean and
Japanese.”
There is little doubt where the heart of the Carvelli family,
which opened DaVinci’s in 1994, finds their inspiration.
Step into the restaurant and you are virtually transported to
Italy. From the intricate mosaic map beneath your feet to the
other Italianesque ambiance, DaVinci’s captures the essence
of another world. One whole wall of the restaurant pays
homage to Leonardo da Vinci, the multi-faceted Italian genius
of the Renaissance era, and the restaurant’s namesake.
In addition to country — all of them hail from Calabria,
a region in the south located in the “toe” of the Italian boot —
family matters in this family-run business. Whether they are
cousins, siblings or progenies of a Carvelli, the family pitches in
to run the restaurant. Gerravalle’s mother is a Carvelli by birth
and sous chef Francesco Carvelli is a brother of the owner.
Family is also important to chef Giovanni Terraglia, a native
of Avelino on the Amalfi coast. He learned his art from his father,
who at 76 still has a restaurant. Terraglia ‘s 19-year-old son,

Gabriel, also shows signs of sharing the family passion.
From the Italian side of the menu, DaVinci’s offers tremendous variety. The restaurant serves a variety
of handmade pasta, crafted on the premises, like pappardelle, an extra-wide fettuccine that they serve with
porcini mushrooms from Italy. Or you can opt for homemade spinach gnocchi sautéed with Gorgonzola
cream sauce. Pizzas come from the wood-fired oven.
But what Terraglia really loves is a challenge, to develop something unique for a demanding customer.
“That’s what I like to do — a creation dish,” he said. “With a menu, you follow the rules and it’s the same
every time.” He caters to a diners delight by creating unique dishes. “People call me in advance,
and I do their request. People ask for a whole fish, and the waiter will come and carve it
at their table. Or we’ll order truffles, black or white by request.”
Asked where he learned to cook, sushi chef Kazuo Seto quickly offers a
correction: “I don’t cook.” Point taken; sushi is all about raw — or, sometimes,
lightly cooked — fish. A native of Hokkaido who spent many years
in Tokyo, Seto learned to make sushi in New York City. He worked at
Musashi, at Zen and Fujiyama in Naples, and for two and a half years
at the Fat Pelican on Marco before coming to DaVinci’s.
Seto often lets his assistant sushi chef, Luke Phillips, do the
DaVinci’s
talking for him. The two have worked together for 12 years. “We
do Americanized sushi, what people want here, and add our
own twist, to make this different from any other sushi bar. We
use truffle oil in ponzu sauce on our seared tuna tataki — Chef
Seto makes that out of this world.
“Being a sushi chef is a lot of fun. We’re not in a hot kitchen.
We get to interact with the customers,” explained Phillips. “The
owners here are great. It makes coming to work fun.
Another light favorite is a Mona Lisa salad, with way too
many ingredients to name, but basically seasonal fruits and vegetables
in a spring mix of greens with a fruity raspberry dressing.
The overall concept for the restaurant, said Gerravalle, is “This is
a place you can come and feel at home. We provide a big welcome, a
warm smile. We focus on customer service and customer satisfaction.”
Part of that satisfaction comes from providing a wide variety of choices.
Patrons can sit inside, watched over by Leonardo, or outside at the patio tables.
Or they can split the difference, sitting at the bar that opens up, uniting the
inside and outside. Al fresco dining options give smokers a place to indulge their vice
without running afoul of other patrons or the law. At DaVinci’s Ristorante, the whole idea is to
give you what you want.
Address: 599 South Collier Blvd., at Marco Walk. Telephone: 389-1888. M
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