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A Grand Tour of Remi Restaurant
and a Conversation with Chef Giovanni Pinato
Remi Restaurant
(Remi Website)
145 West 53rd Street
New York, NY 10019
212.581.4242
Private Events: 212.757.7610
Northern Italian Cuisine
Venetian Murals and Chandeliers
Elegant Private Chef's Table
Atrium Garden and Rialto Room
Near City Center, Broadway Shows Dr. Roberta E. Zlokower
October 8, 2010
Today I took a grand tour of New York's Venetian - inspired Remi Restaurant, owned by Roberto Delledonne. Roberto is the warm and elegant host of this sumptuous, energetic, and fanciful dining destination. You will think you are at a Venetian Ball, amidst the surreal architecture by Adam Tihany and giant murals by the artist, Paulin Paris. Remi's main dining room is called the Grand Canal, and its must-be-seen-to-be-believed smaller private room is called the Rialto Room. A downstairs room that appears to be in a wine cellar, with mahogany-lined walls, is called the Chef's Table, and you can have an intimate event with your own waiter and four-course dinner. Don't be surprised to see Venetian glass chandeliers, flying buttress arches, nautical-striped seating, and cherry wood flooring. The Atrium Garden is glass-covered, with outdoor, all-weather seating and Remi to Go, a casual café, that also offers take-out and delivery of gourmet sandwiches, salads, and pastas. The entire block-long Atrium can also be reserved for a magnificent event, planned and prepared by Proprietor Delledonne and Chef Giovanni Pinato.
I sat down with Chef Giovanni to learn more about him, his kitchen, and his cuisine. He told me "I came over here for fun, and twenty-five years later I'm still here." Chef Pinato originally learned to cook in Italy, "on the wings" of his brother for ten years, a good chef. He moved about American cities, early on, cooking in Miami and LA. His New York and Miami restaurant experiences were thrilling, back and forth between climates and cultures, until 2005, when, he notes, "I came over to Remi, when Roberto took over". Chef Giovanni's specialties are drawn from Northern Italian cuisine, and he's especially proud of his risottos and homemade pastas, including gluten-free. He mentions his gnocchi, made with potato, mushroom, truffle oil, and watercress.
Chef Giovanni also eagerly describes his daily fresh fish, flown in from Greece and Portugal, and his fresh octopus from the Mediterranean. His eyes lit up when he mentioned Brazilian Branzini, that he fillets and oven-poaches, putting it back together and grilling it like a whole fish. I can't wait to order this dish. We talked about seasonal dishes, like one of my favorites, soft shell crabs, and then we quickly progressed to desserts. When I heard about his "semi-freddo with white chocolate", and "chocolatissimo" concoctions, my mind went wild with confectionary imagination. Chef Giovanni even makes his own fruit purées for the sorbets. He works long hours and plans special Holiday Feasts too, like an Italian-enhanced Thanksgiving.
During his precious leisure time, Chef Giovanni loves to fish, watch American football and European soccer, and "catch a break for regular life". You can experience Chef Giovanni's Northern Italian inspired dishes, while dining amidst Venetian splendor. Call Remi at 212.581.4242, ask for Carlo, Manager, and reserve a table in the Grand Canal. You will truly think you are in Venice, and the transportation is effortless.
Roberto Delledonne,
Remi Proprietor
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Chef Giovanni Pinato
in the Remi Kitchen
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Chef Giovanni and
Parmigiano for Remi to Go
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi Kitchen Staff
Prepare Homemade Potato Chips
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Fanciful, Grand Canal Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Fanciful, Grand Canal Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Fanciful, Grand Canal Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Venetian Lights
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Fanciful, Grand Canal Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Lobby Bar
with Venetian Chandelier
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Venetian Chandeliers
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Private Rialto Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Private Rialto Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Rialto Room Painted Plates
Wall Decor
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Private Rialto Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Private Rialto Room
& Hand-Painted Venetian Murals
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's Private Rialto Room
Venetian Entry Bar
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi's All-Weather Atrium Garden
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Sky-View at Remi's Atrium Garden
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi to Go Atrium Dining
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi to Go Gourmet Sandwiches
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi to Go Selection
of Cold Drinks
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi to Go
Fresh Fruit and Desserts
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi to Go Cold Fresh Salads
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
Remi to Go
Seafood, Pasta, & Risotto
Courtesy of Roberta E. Zlokower
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