Open my heart and you will see
Graved inside of it, “Italy.”
This expression of devotion by 19th century English poet Robert Browning was declared in his poem De Gustibus, one of 51 in his collection Men and Women, the most recognized of which is Love Among the Ruins. Published in 1855, the book was written while he and his wife, Elizabeth Barrett, were living in Italy, where they’d fled in 1846 after they secretly married against her father’s wishes. They spent a year in Pisa, then moved to Florence, where their only child, Robert “Pen” Browning was born, and where they remained until Elizabeth died in 1861.
Though perhaps not always on as grand a measure as Browning’s, there’s arguably no other country in the world that inspires such love and passion in so many as Italy. The architecture, the arts, the ancient cities and rustic countryside, the cadence of the language, the sexuality that smolders below the surface of Italians from adolescence to 80, the wine and, of course, the cuisine conspire in a devilish seduction few can resist.
In the 40 years since Mario Ferrari first introduced upscale Italian cuisine to Nashville, opportunities for locals to consummate their Italian infatuation have become more plentiful, particularly in the past decade. Three specialty markets serve a growing community of Italian-Americans, who gather for lunch, espresso and heated bi-lingual arguments over just about anything: sports, cheese, weather, politics, dirt. From the established upscale classic Valentino’s in Midtown to the casual, earthy fare of Germantown’s plucky City House, local restaurants have become more diverse and genuine, and offer diners a wider range of choices when the craving hits for Italian fare.
The newest suitor to vie for the affections of Latin lovers in Nashville is the suave and sophisticated Giovanni Francescotti, whose multi-syllabic name rolls off the tongue in a cadence as poetic as Browning’s.
Giovanni Ristorante Bar is his professional introduction to Nashville, but il signore Francescotti—a native of Trentino in the northern tip of Italy—has enjoyed a personal relationship with many residents who have dined in the original Giovanni, on West 55th Street, for 15 years in New York, where he’s lived since 1981. He’s also traveled to Nashville frequently on golfing trips, dining in our restaurants and visiting friends. Last year, one of those friends made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. “Jimmy [Lewis] told me he had an empty space available and it came with an apartment.”
Bless Jimmy Lewis’s heart, as the empty space the landlord offered might have deterred local investors, given its storied history. Tucked between Bound’ry and South Street—both originally co-owned by restaurateur Jay Pennington—the building was once the highly anticipated finale of a nightlife trilogy. Anticipation turned to impatience and finally ennui, when nearly six years after its announcement, the building remained a work in progress, save for the surreal sculpture of a topless female sea creature inexplicably affixed to the front of the building. In early 2004, Chu finally opened. But before the year was out, so was Chu.
The Pan-Asian concept was followed by Layl’a Rul, which briefly tested a Moroccan menu that garnered critical raves but little interest from the clientele, whose more provincial frame of reference persuaded proprietor Chris Hyndman to turn it into an ultra lounge. With his eagle entertainment eye firmly fixed to his new venture Lime, he decided not to renew the lease on Layl’a Rul, thus creating opportunity for Francescotti.
In this latest episode of As The World Turns at 909 20th Ave. S., the compass points now to Italy, and Giovanni is a true showcase of the many charms of the country. Even before he opened the doors to his restaurant in late 2008, Francescotti endeared himself to his neighbors—who now include the chic residents of the stunning Adelicia across the street and its first floor tenant Miro District Restaurant—by removing the gauche floozy from the façade. When the construction scaffolding was disassembled, the building had been transformed into a facsimile of a Tuscan villa, the stucco now washed in sun-drenched shades of yellow and gold.
The simple beauty of the two-floor restaurant reveals itself in stages, as the eye lights upon various details of architecture (by Mark Harrison) and decor (CKE Interior Design). The Tuscan influence is realized throughout, via the polished concrete floors painted a deep eggplant; wood-framed windows and mirrors; an arched entry constructed of blocks of stone; heavy, forged, decorative iron rails; framed oils in rich hues depicting vineyards, fields and the rolling hills of Tuscany and ceilings painted earth brown, crossed by round columns trimmed in copper....
What to Order: Some of our Favorite Menu Items
Crostone di asiago, scarola brasata e pomodorina al forno (Asiago cheese crostone served with braised escarole and oven-dried cherry tomatoes)
Lasagne della nonna al ragu su un letto di bechamella agli spinaci (Meat ragout lasagna on a bed of spinach bechamel)
Svizzera Kibe con patatine al Reggiano (Kobe beef burger, provolone cheese and parmigiano fries)
Tortino di granchio del Maryland in salsa di peperoni e maionese al limone verde (Maryland lump crab cakes in a bell pepper sauce and lime aiolo mayonnaise)
Farfalle alla vodka, salome e asparagi (Farfalle pasta in a pink sauce, salmon, asparagus and tomatoes)
Petto di pollo marinato al rosmarino con polenta e asparagi (Marinated rosemary chicken with polenta and asparagus)
Brunch
Focaccia alla mortadella e robiolla (Homemade focaccia filled with mortadella and robiolla cheese)
Uova Benedittine (Eggs Benedict on homemade bread with prosciutto and Hollandaise)
Frittata con mozzarella, pomodoro e prosciutto (Frittata with mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and prosciutto)