SPOTLIGHT | Restaurants
Piatto: An Italian Wine Experience Brian Vallis and his two daughters, Jay and Kate, owners of Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca (wine emporium), were traveling around Tuscany checking out vineyards and olive groves when they discovered a new type of wine tasting experience in the hilltop town of Montepulciano. Based on a recommendation from Jennifer Criswell, author of “At Least You Are in Tuscany,” they discovered a new enoteca that housed thousands of bottles of wine scattered throughout many different little caves. Each cave represented a different region of Italy and housed an Enomatic wine dispensing machine with 6 to 8 bottles of wine. After a few hours sampling wines from the various machines and dinner featuring a different wine with every course, they decided they wanted to bring the experience home.
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The concept for their wine program is pretty simple. According to Brian, it’s “to have good wines and reasonable prices … always less than double the retail price … which is lower than the industry standard.” They also want to give people “the opportunity to sample wines by the ounce, by the glass or by the bottle. We think of it as wine the way you want it.” We think it is a great way to enjoy an authentic Italian experience in Halifax. Most Popular Menu Item: According to owner, Brian Vallis “our best-selling pizza is the Siciliani. It’s a real traditional Italian favourite made using Italian and local ingredients. We start with a base of hand crushed San Marzano tomatoes. We top it with a spicy Italian sausage made fresh for us every week by Getaway Farms, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and
Occasions Fall 2013
chopped basil supplied to us by River View Herbs. It’s a hearty, meaty pizza that brings out the flavour in some of our most full-bodied red wines.” Drinks Tip: Anything from their Enomatic wine dispensing machine. It’s a guarantee each wine will be served fresh and at the proper temperature. Insider’s Tip: Piatto holds monthly Wine and Pizza Tastings, which include samples of three wines, a selection of appetizers, authentic Neopolitan style pizza and desserts. Contact Piatto to find out when the next tasting is being held. Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca 5144 Morris Street, Halifax (902) 406-0909/ www.piattopizzeria.com