You can’t separate Italian food from the conversation it creates. The Italian kitchen is too collaborative, the dishes too greatly impacted by the past, the culture too boisterous to ever see a plate without a story.
Take for instance, the fish served by Chef Salvatore Ferrara at Antonello Ristorante in Costa Mesa. Every afternoon, he meets his local fisherman – who happens to be his father, Pascale – to sort through the day’s catch. He takes this bounty back to his kitchen and begins dreaming up ideas. He recalls his boyhood and Italy’s rich culinary tradition. He strives to honor his father’s hard work by preparing the fish in a straightforward manner. The food that shows up at your table is imbued with respect: for the past, for family and for the ingredients themselves.
This is what makes Antonello vital to Orange County. We have a lot of hyper-stylized chefs in these parts. We’ve got plenty of fusions. They’re wonderful, some transcendent, but any culinary scene needs balance and co-head chefs Ferrara and Gino Buonanoce bring that. Every dish is infused with tradition – whether it’s a preparation straight from the old country or seafood passed from father to son. There’s a story on each plate, and it’s a joy to experience.
Antonello Ristorante, 3800 S. Plaza Drive, Santa Ana, 714.751.7153 :: antonello.com
Swordfish Recipe (serves 4)
Ingredients:
4 pieces of 4-ounce swordfish
1 clove minced garlic
8 oz. roasted baby heirloom tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian parsley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
Procedure:
Place swordfish and tomatoes on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, parsley, garlic and oregano. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Buon appetito!
