Like father, like son? Not in the case of restaurateurs Procopio “Pro” LoDuca and son Paul.
Giovanni’s, the father’s restaurant in Munster, Ind., is a vintage example of the sleek but friendly Italian dining spots that introduced clams casino, fettuccine Alfredo and veal scaloppine to suburban diners in the 1960s and ’70s. Vinci and Mare, the son’s restaurants on Chicago’s Halsted and Clark Streets respectively, are very much of today. Both feature variations on home-inspired cucina, or Italian comfort food, that is currently very popular among cutting-edge city diners.
Pro LoDuca came to United States as a child in 1940. He recalls leaving the boat on Thursday and starting school the following Monday, although he knew not a word of English. By 1947 he was working-cleaning up and jerking sodas in a family friend’s sweet shop in Calumet City. He stayed with the shop as it changed with the times, introducing sandwiches and hamburgers, then plate lunches. He then acquired it in 1953, and as prepared food became more important, he brought in his mother to re-create family recipes.
In 1966 he bought Giovanni’s in nearby Munster and has been operating it ever since. The restaurant is dimly lit, with booths, a bar area, a portrait of Frank Sinatra on one wall. It’s a popular local spot, where owner and many regulars are on a first-name basis.
“It’s traditional Italian food,” he says. “Some of the dishes have been on the menu for 20 years. But the menu is varied, we have a nice wine list, our prices are moderate. People trust us.”
In the nature of families, this stability is what convinced the son to strike out on his own.
Even as a youngster, his father says, Paul assisted his grandmother in the kitchen at home and liked to help out in the restaurant. After high school he enrolled in the culinary program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. On his return, he became chef at Giovanni’s. But his father recognized “he had big ambitions,” and after “a little difficulty” between them, Paul moved into Chicago in 1985. A fast-track career took him into the kitchens of Avanzare, Scoozi!, Sole Mio and Carlucci before he opened Vinci, in September 1991, at the age of 30.
Vinci is a warm and comfortable place featuring what Paul calls “rustic food updated for the ’90s.” Mare, which debuted a year ago, he describes as “a bit more cosmopolitan, with more-refined food and presentation.”
Has Paul’s success led to a family feud? In a word, no.
“My dad’s my best customer,” Paul says.
“My biggest pleasure,” his father says, “is when a customer at Giovanni’s tells me, `I was at your son’s restaurant, and everything was wonderful.’ It makes me light up.”
Here is a recipe from Vinci, based on Paul LoDuca’s grandmother’s favorite way of preparing summer squash, plus a pasta-and-beans classic from Giovanni’s.
VINCI’S LINGUINE DELLA NONNA
Four to six servings
12 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch discs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1/4 teaspoon hot-red-pepper flakes
1 pound dried linguine
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1. Heat water for pasta in a covered pot. In a frying pan, cook garlic in olive oil over low heat, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown and slightly soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
2. Season zucchini slices with salt and pepper and cook in the same oil until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.
3. Add salt and linguine to boiling water and cook to al dente stage. Drain.
4. Meanwhile, add chicken stock and pepper flakes to the frying pan and boil to reduce liquid by half.
5. Return garlic and zucchini to the pan and add bread crumbs. Toss. Add linguine and toss again. Drizzle on a little extra oil if mixture seems dry. Serve at once with a medium-bodied white wine such as Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
GIOVANNI’S LINGUINE WITH TUSCAN-STYLE BEANS
Four to six servings
1/2 cup each garbanzo, great northern and red kidney beans (substitute other beans as desired)
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 cups beef stock or broth
4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound dried linguine
Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste
1. The day before serving this dish, combine beans in a large bowl and cover by several inches with cold water. Soak the beans overnight.
2. On the day of serving, warm olive oil in a medium-size pot. Add onion and celery and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain beans and add to the pot along with bay leaves and beef stock. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Remove lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until beans are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. (Check packages for cooking information.) Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and linguine and cook by package directions to al dente stage. Drain.
5. Toss cooked pasta with beans. Transfer to a platter or 4 bowls and sprinkle liberally with grated cheese. Serve with a fruity red wine such as Dolcetto or California Merlot.
Note: Substitute vegetable broth for beef broth to prepare a vegetarian entree.
Giovanni’s, 603 Ridge Rd., Munster, Ind., 219-836-6220.
Vinci, 1732 N. Halsted, St., 312-266-1199.
Mare, 400 N. Clark St., 312-245-9933.
