Buon Appetito!
Savino's Ristorante Italiano

Authenticity is the key to a successful restaurant, says Savino Grieco, owner of Savino’s Ristorante Italiano in Las Cruces, and in his kitchen, fresh sausage, made-from-scratch pasta and mouth-watering sauces take Italian food to a whole new level. Meals at Savino’s are not only prepared to order, but Savino’s open-air, state-of-the-art Italian kitchen gives his restaurant the ultimate claim to a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

Sabroso - Winter2008

DINING IN LAS CRUCES

By Jenna Frosch
Photography by Jesse Ramirez

Savino says he cooked in his family’s restaurant in Italy, trained in restaurants throughout Italy and brought some of his favorite recipes from all over the country over the ocean to his restaurant here. “I know Italian food,” says Savino. “Sometimes people call me cocky, but you can tell the difference. I am confident in my product.”

In Italy, after the fall of the Roman Empire, each region began approaching their food differently—from the preparation to the ingredient selection to the way they rolled their meatballs. The north developed Tuscan beef, while provolone and mozzarella cheeses were developed in the south. The different regions in Italy differ in the pasta they use and breads they serve, as well. Milan is known for their risotto, while Bologna is known for their tortellini and Naples is famous for their pizza. Savino’s has taken the regions and their individual styles of cooking and brought them together to create a menu that represents the many diverse areas of Italy. Savino says the food at Savino’s does not cover just one area of Italy, but the entire peninsula.

Savino’s traditional interpretation of authentic Italian meshes the flavors, herbs and basic ingredients found at cafés throughout Italy. Savino’s serves a variety of dishes, including Fantastico Salsiccia Peperoni Polenta, which is homemade Savino Italian sausage on a bed of polenta and roasted bell peppers, topped with marinara sauce; or traditional Manicotti, baked homemade pasta tubes filled with ricotta, topped with mozzarella and red sauce; or the Penne Savino, which is short tube pasta, ground beef, Savino’s sauce creation, parmiggiano cheese, all baked in the oven. Two different kinds of bread come with the meals at Savino’s, along with black olives and a dipping sauce of olive oil and garlic, which compliments the homemade bread to perfection.

In addition to pasta, the coastal regions of Italy have become the birthplace of many different fish and seafood dishes, utilizing swordfish, lobster, anchovies, sardines and many others. Savino’s has an impressive selection of seafood platters, which Savino says utilizes salmon, tilapia, calamari, tiger shrimp, clams and mussels, with some of the fish shipped in from Alaska. One house favorite is the Talapia Sorrento, a 7-ounce Tilapia filet, pan seared and topped with cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil and a splash of white wine served with seasoned vegetables.

In addition, Savino’s has an extensive and ever-expanding selection of domestic and foreign wines from all over Italy and the Napa Valley, ranging from $20 to $500 a bottle. Savino has also installed a temperature-controlled wine cellar in the restaurant to help maintain the quality and taste of the wine.

Savino’s is available for business meetings and lunches, in addition to private parties, and has a separate room for functions.

Future plans are still in the works for Savino’s, including upcoming wine dinners and possible expansion into Northern New Mexico. Savino says if the restaurant grows, he would like to maintain the same quality in all of his locations. “Service is important and I want to make sure people can find the same service at all of my restaurants,” says Savino.

The first annual “Cenone di Capodanno,” which means “The Big Dinner for the First Year,” will be held on Tuesday, December 31, 2007. Savino’s will host the traditional Italian feast, which will include panetone cake and a champagne toast at midnight to help ring in the New Year, in addition to food and a large array of Italian and California wines. Reservations are required.