Italian chef welcomed back

Gianni Colandrea has a loyal following at his restaurant, Dal' Italia Pizza.

By KATHY SAUNDERS, Times Correspondent

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 11, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Gianni is back. That is what my neighbors have been telling me for the past several weeks. They are thrilled that the Italian chef has returned from Rome to again bake their favorite pizzas.

"You have to try the Margherita," said one friend as she handed me the menu for Dal' Italia Pizza.

Gianni Colandrea bought the restaurant about a year ago and started making his own specialties. Dal' Italia has been operating for some 20 years in the Tyrone Gardens Shopping Center and Colandrea said it is not affiliated with the other restaurants with similar names.

For five years, until 1995, Colandrea operated Gianni's Cafe on Central Avenue. He said he moved back to Rome for health and family reasons. When he returned in 1996 he began searching for a new restaurant.

We phoned Dal' Italia on a recent weekday to order lunch. The hostess was happy to spend a little extra time explaining some of the menu items and making sure I got what I wanted.

Colandrea said he actually makes two kinds of Margherita pizzas. The one I got -- and the one my neighbors adore -- is topped with fresh tomatoes that have been marinated in olive oil overnight. The marinade includes garlic, fresh basil and other Italian herbs. When it meets the pizza crust, the topping is smothered in mozzarella cheese and baked.

We ordered a slice of the Margherita ($2.50). But next time we'll get a whole pie. It was as good as my friends had testified. The olive oil seemed to make all the difference. It provided a zesty flavor without a heavy taste. (Colandrea said his other Margherita is similar, with a light sauce made from plum tomatoes and homemade, fresh mozzarella cheese.)

The Sicilian pizza ($1.95) was delicious -- although the texture was the opposite of the Margherita. It was thick and filling and had a strong tomato taste. We liked the contrast of the two pizzas. Both slices were large. We warmed them in the oven for about five minutes for extra crispy crusts.

Dal' Italia bakes a variety of pizzas each day. Colandrea said his regular customers call ahead to find out what slices will be available for lunch.

Whole pizzas include Colandrea's most popular, New York style with thin crust ($8.25 small and $9.40 large), to Sicilian ($11.99) and 10 different gourmet pies. The pizzas are priced from $11.50 for a small Margherita to $19.95 for a large one topped with barbecued chicken.

If you call three hours ahead, Colandrea will bake a large stuffed steak pie for $19.75.

A daily special for $3.25 includes two slices of pizza and a large soda. Colandrea offers 22 giant hoagies -- served hot or cold. They are priced from $4 for a cold ham, salami and cheese sandwich to the one we selected -- a hot veal parmesan for $6.25. The sandwich came in a cool container -- a Styrofoam box that looked like a large egg carton. It kept the whole sandwich intact and kept the sauce from leaking into our carry-out box.

The sandwich was filled with fresh veal, but not so big that we couldn't control it to take a bite. It had fresh mozzarella cheese and nice, smooth tomato sauce. It was nice and tangy and wrapped in soft bread.

The menu includes calzones and strombolis, and one of Colandrea's biggest sellers -- his rolls. The triangular-shaped rolls are filled with things such as bacon, ham, sausage, pepperoni and cheese. Another roll comes stuffed with grilled chicken, garlic, olive oil and cheese. The rolls cost $4.75 to $5.25.

For hungrier customers, Colandrea suggests pasta. He prepares ravioli ($6), lasagne ($7.25), stuffed shells ($6) and other traditional Italian dinners daily.

Another selection that Colandrea likes to promote is Buffalo wings. He serves them in portions from six ($3.25) to 50 ($20.50).

"They are the end of the world," said Colandrea.

We tried a small tossed salad that was pretty filling for a "small" salad ($2.25). It came with black olives, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, mushrooms and lots of shredded mozzarella cheese. A vinaigrette dressing came on the side. Dal' Italia also offers grilled chicken salads ($5.95), a Greek salad ($5.25) and a large antipasto ($5.95).

Soup and appetizers are included on the menu along with soft drinks, lemonade and beer and wine.

I had sampled Colandrea's food a couple times at his Central Avenue location and after our recent lunch at Dal' Italia, I, too, was glad that Gianni is back.

Dal' Italia Pizza

• 936 58th St. N, St. Petersburg

• Phone: 381-3209

• Hours: Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m.

• Consumers: Two adults

• What we got: One slice of Sicilian cheese pizza, one slice of Margherita pizza with tomatoes, basil and cheese, a veal Parmesan hoagie and a small tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing

• What it cost: $13.86

• Time it took: 10 minutes

• Pay with: Cash and major credit cards

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