Dante Boccuzzi can hardly be accused of resting on his laurels these days. After opening contemporary Tokyo-style sushi spot Ginko downstairs from his namesake restaurant Dante recently, the chef-restaurateur is getting ready to open a new suburban eatery, the first in a new chain of casual family-style pasta houses.
D.C. Pasta Co. will debut in Strongsville in November, at 12214 Pearl Road, occupying the space formerly home to Palate, Le Volte and Portofino restaurants.
Boccuzzi described his latest venture, saying, “It’s going to be a casual Italian pasta house. Dante is more upscale, a ‘dining experience;’ the idea for D.C. Pasta is a great place for families–not too fancy, not too expensive.”
“Homemade pasta and ‘authentic Italian fare’ will dominate the menu,” he added. “There’s nothing wrong with dried pasta–there are a lot of good brands out there–but we decided to go with fresh pasta for what it brings to the dining experience.”
In addition to the authentic Italian cuisine, take-home pastas, sauces and accompaniments will also be sold from a retail counter in the front of the store. A line of sauces is currently being developed by the chef, most likely frozen varieties, in order to avoid the flavor-altering preservatives commonly used in bottled brands.
