Tenute Rubino > Wine of Apulia > Cacio e Vino restaurant, New York City

Giusto Priola: Quality Italian Cuisine in New York

Giusto Priola embodies the history of the many Italians who, through hard work and love of their Bel Paese, found in America the perfect opportunity to realize their dreams. Giusto came to the United States in 1997. When he left Italy he made two promises to himself: never to forget or allow the link to his homeland be broken (regardless of whatever obstacles life might present) and to maintain a firm belief in himself and in his ability to create something that would express his true identity and talents.

After working at his grandfather’s bakery (Dell’Abate, one of the most famous in Brooklyn) and then establishing a small dessert shop, Giusto, in 2004, realized that it was time for him to make his mark. He opened his own restaurant, 'Cacio & Pepe,' in the East Village at Second Avenue and 11th Street, which Giusto treated with the pride of a new father and the passion of a committed artist.

Specializing in authentic Roman cuisine, 'Cacio & Pepe' succeeded through a strict attention to ingredients and to the quality and detail in the preparation of every dish. In 2006, Giusto followed his 'first born' with 'Cacio e Vino,' a restaurant dedicated to the splendors of Southern Italy – the sun, the sea, the land. He then opened 'Ballarò,' a renowned wine bar that celebrates the refined pairing of high quality wine and food.

Cacio e Vino: Sicily and Southern Italy at the Table.

'Cacio e Vino' is a discrete realm that sparks the senses both visually and gastronomically. Its characteristic Sicilian charm is expressed through the flavors and perfume of traditional Sicilian dishes prepared by chef Marco Costanzo and, above all, by the warmth with which all clients – regulars and newcomers alike – are welcomed. Giusto Priola pays great attention to all his guests from the moment they walk in, as he presents the daily specials as prepared according the ingredients in season.

In just five years 'Cacio e Vino' has become the restaurant of choice for those seeking optimum Italian cuisine at a fair price. Through his vast experience and his love for the quality ingredients of his native land, Giusto has succeeded in popularizing the dishes and, further, the enogastronomic niche elements of the Southern Italian table: from the lesser-known grape varietals such as Sicilian Nerello Mascalese to Brindisi’s Susumaniello and staples of Sicilian cuisine like anelletti and indigenous ingredients such as Mediterranean sardines; from Ragusano caciocavallo cheese to Salina capers, Bronte pistachios and Avola almonds.

In such a short time, 'Cacio e Vino' has become a gastronomic school of Italian taste and style in which Giusto and his staff serve as educators, introducing their American clientele to the true nature of Italian cooking and leading them to a discovery of the Bel Paese’s most authentic traditions of food and wine. The simplicity of preparation and the freshness of ingredients guaranteed through the close rapport Giusto has cultivated with first-rate Italian importers over the years allow 'Cacio e Vino' to offer its clientele a memorable culinary experience. The secret to his success? It’s all in the details. At 'Cacio e Vino' nothing is left to chance. Dexterity, rhythm and art all inform the creation of that elegant balance of flavors, consistency and scents that only the finest cuisine can express.

The pursuit of such equilibrium, as in all human activities, is fundamental to distinction and success. Just read Giusto’s menu and you will see how even an Italian can find himself at home in the heart of Manhattan. It offers a rich selection of antipasti like eggplant timbale and baked scamorza topped with culatello, as well as caponata, and eggplant involtini. Pasta is the symbol of Italian cuisine, and the with the Primi Piatti you will be immersed into traditional Sicilian cooking with dishes such as bucatini with fresh sardines, anelletti baked in a wood oven, paccheri alla Norma and homemade spaghetti al pesto. The Secondi, offering a range of meat and seafood, will leave you speechless: the wonderful baccalà, cured codfish, stuffed veal spiedini, and keep in mind the succulent grilled black angus steak. Desserts, made by the staff daily, offer a jubilee of flavors – from ricotta cannoli to a sumptuous Sicilian cassata.

The Wine List

Wine is a true echo of the land. As a key component to Italian culinary identity, wine is the basis of a refined dining experience - its quality, an ample range of choices and expert conservation. Among Italian restaurateurs in New York, Giusto Priola has earned a sterling reputation for the connoisseurship with which he selects his wines and his knowledge of wine-producing territories. As the name of his restaurant declares, wine is the foundation of Giusto’s enogastronomic vision. For him, it is the diversity of choice and variety of regional production that together form the prominence of Italian wine in America.

'Cacio e Vino' offers not only Chianti, Barbaresco and Amarone, but also further exemplars of Italian wine-making excellence, especially from the southern region, that are also affordable. Giusto has thus succeeded in broadening the American palate from the routine of identifying only one variety of wine with a given region. While a client’s knowledge of Sicilian and Apulian wines might be initially limited to Nero d’Avola and Primitivo, a full dining experience at 'Cacio e Vino' will reveal many other varieties indigenous to Apulian soil, like Malvasia Bianca, Negroamaro and Susumaniello, and that Sicily produces not only Nero d’Avola, but also Nerello Mascalese and Grillo.

'Cacio e Vino'’s wine list is made up entirely of Italian wines, primarily from the southern region. The restaurant’s expert staff is there to help with wine and food paring, and Italy’s enological pearls can also be sampled by the glass. Indeed, guests at 'Cacio e Vino' often request the best single-glass pairing for each stage of the meal, as complementary to a given recipe or through preference for a particular grape variety or region. 'Cacio e Vino' is an ideal partner with winegrowers like Tenute Rubino.

An Evening in Puglia – April 25th

On April 25th, 'Cacio e Vino' will celebrate Puglia with a pairing of the finest Apulian wines produced by Tenute Rubino with simple, traditional fare characteristic of the region. Puglia boasts of a centuries-long enogastronomic tradition that brings together the finest of Mediterranean cuisine. An event not to be missed!

appetizers
Sarde e cozze arraganate
sardines and mussels baked with breadcrumbs and oregano
Bracioline di carne ripiene
beef rolled and stuffed with breadcrumbs, pecorino, prosciutto, topped with fresh tomato

wine pairing: Giancola (100% Malvasia Bianca)

pasta
Orecchiette alla pugliese
homemade orecchiette with broccoli rabe, anchovies, and tomato confit

wine pairing: Punta Aquila (100% Primitivo)

main course
Dentice alle olive nere
baked red snapper with black olives and stuffed eggplant
Agnello con piselli
baked lamb with peas and potatoes

wine pairing: Torre Testa (100% Susumaniello)

dessert
Cassatine pugliesi rivisitate
sponge cake with ricotta and caramel almond paste

wine pairing: Aleatico