Marnie McArthur, reno.com
January 7, 2008

Italy is Mecca for foodies and the rallying cry is mangia…let’s eat! The countryside is fabulous; the food and wine are sublime; and leisurely meals are a national pastime. One visit is never enough. But, how often can you cater to culinary fantasies with trips to Italy? Well, minus the airfare and a pricey villa, you can have a true Italian dining experience in Reno as often as you like. The authentic tastes and ambiance of Tuscany have been created at Cortina Ristorante & Bar, the sleek new Italian outpost open since January in south Reno’s Summit Sierra Mall.

Cortina is the latest venture for Italian restaurateur Gianni Chiloiro, born and educated in Italy and a 25-year veteran of restaurant ownership in the San Francisco Bay Area. His vision for Cortina is authentic, fresh food (organic whenever possible) and a warm and friendly dining experience much as you would experience in Italy. I say he has succeeded big time!

At Cortina, you’re in good Italian hands in the kitchen and restaurant with a professional staff that is knowledgeable, relaxed and friendly without being intrusive. Friends and I were well fed and taken care of on two recent visits. Remember, with Italian food one trip is never enough!

We began our first meal with two generous flutes of a light, refreshing Ruggeri Prosecco, $8.95, a delightful compliment to a large platter of Frittura Mista. This crispy combination of fork-tender, lightly-battered calamari, tiny scallops and shrimps, along with paper thin homemade potato chips, is listed as antipasti and there is plenty to share for two or more. Just squeeze on a little fresh lemon juice or dip the pieces in a delicate basil aioli. Yum!

Homemade foccacia, ravioli, gnocchi are standard fare at Cortina, along with creative meat and fish entrées. All are mighty delicious. The chef uses little to no salt in the bread and most of the other dishes, a good thing for many diners and very Italian as well. If your tastes tend toward more salt, you can add it at the table.

My taste buds are still floating from the soft gnocchi al pesto, $16.95, as light as small puffy clouds covered in a lovely basil pesto sauce. The addition of shrimp and tiny, slender green beans makes this delightful dish a complete meal. It’s also a very rich one. You might consider sharing this and another entrée so as not to overload the senses.

Homemade ravioli is my passion. When made by Italian hands that know dough, there is nothing better. The Cortina dinner menu offers two handmade ravioli dishes, both for $14.95. Rather than choose between them, I recommend a second trip so you can enjoy both. Remember…one visit is never enough.

These tender little pillows of pasta stuffed with beef or finely chopped asparagus are heavenly. The ravioli con carne is sauced with aromatic truffle-scented herb butter (lots of fresh rosemary!) and a lightly seasoned demi glace. The well-integrated flavors are immensely satisfying and not overdone. A smooth Ruffino ‘Ducale” Classico, $12.95 by the glass, was delicious with this dish. Asparagus-filled ravioli is a much richer dish sauced with a creamy Parmesan fondue that unfortunately masks the delicate flavor of the asparagus. However, if you like a creamy cheese sauce, this is an excellent one seasoned with fresh oregano and garnished with thin strips of salty prosciutto. For wine drinkers, a high acid, crisp white is a good balance with the rich cheese.

No Italian meal is complete without dessert. The Cortina choices are so appealing; it’s tempting to order more than one. The cannoli siciliana combined everything I love in a dessert: chocolate, creamy ricotta, citrus, and a cool passion fruit sorbet on the side. A smooth buttermilk panna cotta was topped with strawberries and raspberries. Both were delicious and, needless to say, half of each went home for a midnight snack!

The well-designed wine list reads like a “Best Of” in each category. This restaurant owner not only knows food, he knows wine. You’ll find fine Amarone, high quality Italian Chiantis, and interesting reds such as Shiraz from Marquis Phillips, McLaren Vale; Fess Parker Syrah; and Zinfandel from Cosentino and Kenwood Jack London vineyard. Among the whites are such hallowed names as Jordon, Duckhorn, Rombauer, Groth, and Jekel, to name just a few.

If you’re a wine lover, it would be easy to spend almost as much on wine as on food. But budget-minded diners, who forgo the wine or limit themselves to one glass, can have a delicious meal for two with an appetizer and dessert for $60 to $75...not inexpensive, but far less than a trip abroad. So, learn to say Buon giorno! Savor the flavors, the ambiance, and the charming Italian accents of the gracious staff. At Cortina, you’re almost in Italy.