Updated at 4:05 p.m., Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Padovani, Loperfido open restaurants together, solo
By Wanda Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
At the same time, both men have solo projects. Padovani, who operates Padovani's Chocolates Downtown with his brother, Pierre, has opened a second shop in the Hyatt Regency hotel.
Loperfido, who is in Italy right now buying wines for Elua, has taken over the former Yanni's space at Restaurant Row and tomorrow will open Pasta and Basta by Donato, a casual, inexpensive, self-service Italian spot. The restaurant also will serve as pasta-making headquarters for Elua, just as Padovani Chocolates will serve as a candy-making source for Elua.
Padovani said Elua will indeed have a split personality, with Donato's Italian specialties and Padovani's Mediterranean dishes on the menu. The chefs will divide the days' cooking duties between them, with each placing a couple of specials on the menu on "their" days and a core menu of pastas, risottos and so on.
Elua, which will serve lunch and dinner, will have about two dozen wines on tap in a Cruvinet system and will offer small plates and later hours — open until 11 p.m. The plan is for the entire menu to change seasonally.
Remodeling has begun on the Elua site, which Padovani said he has long coveted. He said his former customers at Padovani's Wine Bar and Bistro have been coming in to the chocolate shop insisting that he put their old favorite dishes on the menu.
