Dining Out
By Lenora Dannelke Berks County Living magazine, August 2007.
Any way you slice it, GNA pizza has been a West Reading favorite for decades. A consecutive “Best of Berks” winner for the past several years, this bustling little Penn Avenue shop has acquired a new location – only a few blocks down the street, so it’s easy to find if you follow your nose – and a spiffy new identity. Rechristened as GNA Ristorante Pizzeria, this expansive multiple-personality restaurant combines a convenient take-out shop and casual eatery with a roomy lounge and two large, atmospheric fine dining rooms. And, at this time of year, the umbrella-topped tables at the broad sidewalk café are an in-demand bonus.
The restaurant essentially “grew up” with the children of owners Lina Amoroso Grande and Albino Grande. (Note to trivia buffs who wonder, “What the heck does ‘GNA’ stand for, anyway?”: The “G” in Grande and the “A” in Amoroso conjoins with the abbreviated coordinate conjunction “N” to form the name.) After the couple’s sons, Ben and Massimo, and daughter, Tina, had all finished college, matured and/or dabbled in other careers, they chose to come home to the family biz. The solidarity meant it was time to make a jump from humble pizza joint to authentic ristorante.
The new locale – an ample property with huge potential that Lina had been eyeing for years – presented itself quickly. “Ben is also a realtor, and he called and said, ‘Mom, you won’t believe what just came on the market,’” Grande recalls.
It took nine months to transform the cavernous building into the family’s new business. Grande refused to even consider using a professional decorator and attended to every design detail herself, from the warm golden peanut-butter color that drenches the walls to tables, chairs, lamps and dishware. “Since I ‘live’ here, it should look like home to me,” Grande says. “I thought about what I want when I go out to eat. I don’t need live music. I like to be able to have a conversation over dinner, but not be so close to other tables that you hear everyone else’s conversations.” Family photographs underscore the personalized feel – there’s no mistaking this for a dispassionate chain restaurant.
And the family took a hands-on approach to renovation. “We’d get done at the other place then come over here at night,” says Raffaele Cirandine, executive chef and Grande’s son-in-law. “It was a lot of work, but when you’re putting in screws with a screwdriver to build something it means so much more.” Local artist Tammy Updegrove Braunsberg was chosen to create beautiful pastoral murals.
The focal point in the dining room, a handsome built-in wine cabinet, was originally intended to be a coat rack. Cirandine, however, wanted a space to display daily specials and suggested building the wine storage unit with an illuminated showcase, backed with a lush Tuscan-scenery mural, for his tempting du jour creations.
The left side of the building remains a casual dining spot that will look quite familiar to long-time GNA pizza fans: The wooden booths and wall decorations from the original location were installed here. Having a place where families, or whole baseball teams, could still feel comfortable was important to Grande. “It feels like the old place. People love it!” she says. A separate take-out entrance at the rear of the building offers convenience for grab-and-go patrons.
When it came to cuisine, home-made pasta was an absolute requirement. “I thought there was a real need. Good, fresh pasta made each day was missing around here,” Grande says.
The menu covers all the Italian classics, from chicken and seafood to veal and steak, as well as sumptuous risottos. There are plenty of great cool options for hot-weather dining, too, such as Mozzarella Capresa, fresh mozzarella with tomatoes, basil, olive oil and oregano; and Frutti di Mare, a traditional and highly refreshing seafood salad. Side dishes include some of my personal favorites: broccoli rabe, sautéed with garlic and olive oil and grilled asparagus. One thing you won’t find in the hefty menu – bound sensuously in woven leather – is pizza. That dish stays on the casual side of GNA Ristorante Pizzeria, though the full dinner menu is available in all the dining areas.
Daily specials are where Cirandine’s creative talents really shine. The chef looks for fresh seasonal ingredients and constantly experiments with flavorful new recipes. He reports that his Salmone con Prosecco – salmon in champagne sauce – has become a popular signature dish. “Salmon can often be very dry, but cooking in this method keeps it soft and juicy,” he says.
On my maiden visit to this pleasant Mediterranean- style outpost, I started with a basket of warm, crusty bread and a crisp tossed salad. The balsamic-based house dressing – a hold-over recipe from the original shop – offers a tart freshness and nicely peppery finish. I was off to a satisfying start.
For the entrée, Grande suggested the Fettucini Scampi. The generous bowl of firm, flavorful pasta arrived piled high with fresh garlic-and-olive oil-sautéed langostina, a tasty crustacean with a lobster-like flavor and texture that’s easy to pop from the shells. As far as I was concerned, though, the dish’s sublime pink vodka sauce was the star. When I managed to take a break from lifting the fork to my mouth and unleash a torrent of effusive compliments, Grande responded, “That’s my favorite, favorite, favorite sauce. It’s creamy, but not too heavy; there’s tomato, but not too much. It’s perfect.” I concur. Mangia!