Centro South cafe in Reno scraps tapas for contemporary delicacies

Editor‘s observe: This tale was corrected to reflect that Alberto Gazzola worked as a chef at the cafe Trattoria, not as a dishwasher.
In a planet the place quite a few new dining establishments go bust within a several several years, one particular longtime Reno chef has discovered to roll with the punches. And that at times indicates scrapping menus that fail to hook up with shoppers.
Centro South is chef Alberto Gazzola’s most recent enterprise, a spinoff of his wildly prosperous Midtown restaurant, Centro. Centro South launched before this calendar year hoping to emulate the achievements of its tapas-concentrated sister restaurant.
But Centro South’s cuisine failed to deliver the enjoyment that Gazzola had anticipated. Inspite of the affluent clientele and ritziness of the new spot, the Village at Rancharrah, the tapas menu intimidated some customers searching for a casual lunch, Gazzola thought. Tapas, a Spanish phrase for appetizers, is made up of artfully arranged tiny plate dishes that includes meat, vegetables and the kind of seafood discovered in Mediterranean nations around the world — squid, octopus and this kind of.
So, Gazzola decided to scrap the full menu and replace his govt chef with Geoffrey Caliger, a veteran of Liberty Foods & Wine Trade.
The new menu and crew, which was unveiled a minimal much more than a week ago, focuses on modern delicacies.
“Gone are the tiny, tremendous elaborate (and too high priced) plates,” Gazzola instructed the RGJ. “More compact, medium and entire-dimension entrees will be part of our choices, from refreshing each day fish preparations to Piemontese-breed beef. Asian- and South American-influenced recipes will also be existing.”
Gazzola, who hails from northern Italy, uncovered some of his culinary chops from his mother and father, who owned a bar and restaurant and recruited their teenage son to whip up paninis, pizzas and cappuccinos. Gazzola was 24 when moved to the Reno area in 1988. Friends finding out as global students at the University of Nevada, Reno had begged Gazzola to check out for yrs.
“A person working day I just came and kind of ended up staying,” Gazzola informed the RGJ.
Early in his job in Reno, he worked as a chef at an Italian cafe termed Trattoria. Along his culinary journey, Gazzola would make a friendship for daily life with one more up-and-coming Italian chef, Ivano Centemeri, who now serves as the Northern Nevada executive chef for Caesar’s Amusement and guards the Carano family solution mushroom ravioli — a solution Gazzola promises to know.
Whilst doing the job at Trattoria, Gazzola partnered with an acquaintance to open up his first restaurant, La Vecchia, which would operate in different locations about the upcoming 3 many years.
Tuesday through Saturday, you can grab lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. at Centro South, 7600 Rancharrah Pkwy Suite 130
Comply with @HaddadEvan for well timed, related and powerful reporting on food stuff, beverages and city everyday living in Reno.