Throughout the centuries, historical events and twists of fate — both literal and of legend — have hinged on food.
Falling apples gave Newton his eureka moment. Tea and salt were respective symbols of revolution in the United States and in India. Raw fruit and iced milk may have felled an American president. A Uruguayan vessel defended itself against an Argentine attack by using blocks of cheese as cannonballs, and a U.S. Navy destroyer’s crew sank a surfaced Japanese submarine in World War II by first pelting it with potatoes.
So it’s hardly a stretch to say that a meatball could alter the space-time continuum some 70-plus years in the future, but according to family lore, that’s (kind of) what happened for Aimee DiAndrea and husband Dave Anoia.
During World War II, Ms. DiAndrea’s grandfather was stationed at the Army’s Medford Air Field in Oregon and was scheduled to ship out for combat. He’d volunteered for kitchen duty one evening and made his mother’s spaghetti and meatballs recipe.
“He asked the guys in the kitchen if he could cook dinner for the commanding officers,” Ms. DiAndrea told the Post-Gazette in October. Afteward, “the officers said, ‘Forget it, we’re not shipping you out. You can stay on base and cook,’ and he ended up becoming a chef.”
That same meatball recipe is employed by Mr. Anoia, a native of Lebanon, Pa., who came to Pittsburgh in 2007 to work for chef Brian Pekarcik (whom he’d previously worked under in San Diego) at the Marriott Downtown and then helped him open Spoon in East Liberty in 2010. Ms. DiAndrea came from Long Island to attend the University of Pittsburgh and is marketing director for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. They met during a chance encounter at Bar Marco five years ago and later married.
They opened DiAnoia’s Eatery — a combination of their last names — on Nov. 1 as an ambitious breakfast, lunch and dinner spot with coffee and pastries in the morning; an Italian New York-style deli with panini, pizza and pasta all day; and evening dinner service.
Located in what was most recently the 26th Street Market & Cafe, the space is bright and colorful with white walls, blue trim, abstract paintings from local artists, blue subway tile and lighting fixtures made from blue and green glass bottles.
And short of having a vegetable farm, cattle ranch or fish hatchery out back, if they can make it here, they do, be it bread, pastas, sausages or even cheeses such as that used in the Burrata Crostini ($11), which sits like an egg in a nest of arugula.
One could not be faulted for knee-jerk sticker shock at what appears to be a $13 bowl of soup, but the Tortellini En Brodo is worth every nickel. Ten gorgeous, almost rose-shaped, al dente cheese and veal tortellini are in a chicken and Parmigiano-Reggiano broth with hints of nutmeg that is outstanding.
Italian-roasted porchetta is akin to American barbecue in that it’s an art that masters hone over a lifetime, and one might think that Mr. Anoia has been doing just that in a Piazza Navona storefront for years. It’s a burst of flavor and served atop the moist and doughy house foccacia with au jus drippings. It’s like a killer open-face sandwich ($17). The deli sandwich version also holds its own on a crusty roll with rapini, provolone and a hot pepper relish ($10).
The quintessential Roman classic Cacio E Pepe ($16) is a standout pasta dish with house spaghetti and a blend of Grana Padano and pecorino Romano cheeses, with a light coating of fresh black pepper — “Italian macaroni and cheese,” Mr. Anoia calls it.
Among the most unique and decadent dishes: the ravioli ($16). A pair of giant ravioli as thin as film are filled with house ricotta and an egg yolk that upon contact comes gushing out, creating a creamy mixture that perfectly complements an earthy topping of diced mushrooms and the sharp notes of the truffle sauce. It’s like dippy egg pasta.
Finally, those meatballs — the ones that set this whole thing in motion — are a terrific blend of pork, beef and veal, and they are airy, with a light garlicky taste. A side order of three comes in a small casserole dish ($7) or with an entree such as a platter of the pillow-like house-made potato gnocchi ($17).
Bar manager Heather Perkins is as enthusiastic as she is knowledgeable about both the menu and the proper wine pairings for particular dishes, and her cocktails are no joke.
Oh, and they make pizzas and baked goods, as well as lasagna and steak Florentine, which are all on this author’s docket ASAP in 2017.
Even before Pittsburgh’s dining renaissance, if nothing else, the city never suffered from a lack of good Italian food, be it red sauce or rustic. DiAnoia’s does both in superb fashion and in just a short time is en route to the top tier of an excellent and competitive local field.
DiAnoia’s Eatery: 2549 Penn Ave., Strip District; 412-918-1875. http://www.dianoiaseatery.com.
First Published: December 29, 2016, 5:00 a.m.