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R.I.P. Italian Kitchen — 18 Comments

  1. I want that recipe. I’ll never make it because it’s too fattening—but I want it.
    Nice blog, Nicola. Made me think of the Italian neighborhoods in the Bronx where ai grew up. They knew how to make the BEST pizza.
    xxs

    • Just hand drying the basil and thyme would be too much work for me. But one interesting thing of the recipe, they crushed the tomatoes by hand but never cooked them before putting on the dough.

  2. Used to work there over 20 years ago. It was easy drying stuff as the kitchen was easily 120 degrees in the summer (no AC back there). As far as the tomatoes, sometimes they were fresh, sometimes out of a can, always tomato paste. Fresh baked bread every day, awesome pizzas coming out of that monster oven slapped out on a pan similar to Bottoms Up. It was a good time.

  3. With all the family members in richmond and surrounding areas, isn’t there any place still serving those wonderful pizzas?

  4. There is, but they sold the original oven which is what Mark says gave those pizzas their famous taste/texture. I don’t remember the name of the other restaurants. Sorry.

  5. I want the Spaghetti and meat sauce recipe. My mom grew up going there for over 50 yrs. She had her first legal glass of wine there. I have yet to have spaghetti like this.

    • Hey Crystal, I’ve tried to track Mark down with no luck but I just found a FB possiblity. I’ll let you know if I get that spaghetti recipe.

  6. I was born in Richmond and moved away when I was young. Like Crystal, I grew up hearing mom’s stories about her spaghetti and Chianti. We would go there on occasion and when we returned to Richmond to visit, Italian Kitchen was always one place we would go. I even got a to go order before heading back home to bring to my mom. The Italian Kitchen will be missed, but I am so glad it was part at least four generations in my family.

  7. I felt the same way about La Ginestra’s in Mill Valley. Not because it was a family gathering place, but because I loved their ravioli. It is the best there is. But the owner won’t give out the recipe and now I live 400 miles away. No more ravioli for me. I can’t stand any other ravioli after falling in love with La Genistra’s. I am in ravioli limbo until I find another in LA. Help me, ravioli Gods.

    Nicola, I love the post, but the editor in me says, change the under “I” to under “P” for pizza. I stopped me. I couldn’t imagine why you would look under “I” as if you were talking about yourself. I list myself as Me in my telephone book.

    Miss you, Marie

  8. I still make all of the menu items at home when I’m hungry for them. Dad passed November 15th 2018. Gone but never to be forgotten, all his recipes to remain family only recipes forever. On the other hand, I personally am for hire to cook by reservation only. You can find me on Facebook.

      • My Italian Kitchen memory is of skating with Gina and the gang at Skate World then heading to the restaurant with Gina and ducking into the kitchen to make our own pizza versions when we were starving and trying to not get caught! Miss those days…….hope all is well with the rest of the family Gina. Best Italian food ever and what an amazing family to be able to hang with during my teen years.

    • Sorry to hear about Vince. Have you ever thought of writing a cookbook? You know it will sell out locally. Crystal above would buy it just for the spaghetti recipe. I’m no longer in the area but will check out your FB page and give it to Crystal and my Richmond friends.

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