Delicious Simplicity
NUNZIO RESTAURANT + BAR introduces Hilton Head Island to a new vision of Italian cooking. BY BARRY KAUFMAN
•
PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN
Unless we grew up with a nonna who would prepare fresh Italian feasts using old country recipes that existed only in her head, most of us have a somewhat skewed vision of what Italian cuisine is. We think of overly rich sauces, proteins crusted with garlic parmesan and a vague sense once the meal is over that we may never stand fully upright again. This is not the Italian cuisine that Nunzio Patruno grew up with. Born and raised in the town of Castellana Grotte, in the heart of the Puglia region and steps away from the Adriatic, his 16
TASTEOFHILTONHEAD.COM
was a youth spent among the fields of his family farm, where everything from olives to almonds were grown to take their rightful place among delectable dishes based in simplicity. It’s a dedication to fresh ingredients and subtle pairings that carried him through culinary school and a celebrated career as a restaurateur. At Nunzio Restaurant + Bar, it finds its ultimate expression. “It’s easy to cover things up these days. Cover it with this, crust it with that, a splash of this, and then it’s good luck with