[One of area’s best dinner bargains at Buon Appetito]

[Flower Show a summer treat for the winter weary]

One of area’s best dinner bargains at Buon Appetito

by Len Lear

In these days of cost-cutting, belt-tightening and bottom-lining, it’s hard to imagine any fine-dining, everything-made-from-scratch restaurant within miles of center city Philadelphia offering a better bargain than Buon Appetito, which opened in May of last year at 1540 Ritner St. in South Philadelphia.

In addition to its regular menu, the two-story corner trattoria/bar offers a complete four-course dinner every night to those customers seated before 7 p.m. that consists of a salad, homemade pasta dish, entree and just-made dessert — for one fixed price of $19.95. And as a further enticement, even though Buon Appetito has a liquor license and fully stocked wine bar, owner/chef Ciro Rendina allows guests to bring their own wine for a service charge of $2 per customer.

“I know that everyone wants to save money,” explained Ciro (pronounced “cheer-o”), 40, “and lots of people have wines they really like which are not going to be available in most restaurants. I do not want to lose those customers. My goal is to do whatever it takes to get them into the restaurant and make their dining experience a pleasurable one.”

Rendina, a native of Naples, graduated from a culinary school in Italy and definitely started at the bottom of his profession, busing tables and washing dishes. Eventually he and a brother owned and operated two restaurants in Naples, Macondo and Juaracino. The latter, named after a small, black fish found in the Mediterranean, is also Ciro’s nickname “because I am short and dark.”

Four years ago Rendina came to this country “because it is the land of opportunity.” He began working at an Italian restaurant in Cherry Hill, all the while looking for an opportunity to open his own restaurant. 

That opportunity presented itself early last year in the property at 16th and Ritner Streets, formerly the home to DeMarco’s Restaurant.

After an extensive four-month renovation, Ciro opened his doors to the public. Buon Appetito can seat 22 in the first-floor dining room and 16 at the bar as well as up to 50 in a second floor dining room that is used for overflow customers, private parties and banquets. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Pop standards by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Benny Goodman play in the background.

As he did at his beachfront restaurant in Naples, Ciro specializes in seafood and offers several fresh seafood specials every night such as branzino, striped bass, lobster, langostinos, seafood risotto, rock clams and oysters. I understand that the servers even reveal the prices of the specials to diners, a practice that is not nearly common enough in the industry.

We have not eaten yet at Buon Appetito, but a friend who happens to write restaurant reviews for a weekly newspaper in the city reported: “The food was delicious, the service first-rate, prices moderate. . . The tomato sauces are rich and homemade. Pastas are not oversauced. Ingredients are immaculately fresh... Do not miss the whole baby squid in homemade marinara sauce. It is awesome.”

We all have our favorite South Philly Italian restaurants, but if you give Buon Appetito a try, it may just become yours. For more information, call 215-551-8378 or e-mail buonappetito2003@aol.com

Tragic loss

Speaking of outstanding South Philly restaurants, the industry suffered a tragic loss two weeks ago with the death of Frank Audino, 62, at Jefferson Hospital. Audino opened La Vigna, 1100 S. Front St., 20 years ago, which has offered consistently excellent Northern Italian fare and high-quality service ever since.

“Frank was being treated for leukemia for a year,” said his nephew, Angelo, who is currently running La Vigna, “but we were told he was doing really well and was ready to come home when he took a turn for the worse.” 

I had several occasions to chat with Audino over the past two decades and always found him to be a very knowledgeable and classy gentleman. His death will leave a big void in the South Philadelphia restaurant community.

Flower Show a summer treat for the winter weary

by Ruth R. Russell

‘Destination Paradise’ is the imaginative title for the annual Philadelphia Flower Show, presented by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, March 7-14, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Begun 175 years ago, the Show has happily settled into its present site, after its move from the old Civic Center. Fans still remember with affection riding down a long escalator to enter a breathtakingly beautiful floral world. However, although the ride is gone — visitors simply stroll through the doors into the Show — the vistas continue to be amazing. For instance, opening the exhibit will be a 4,000 square foot display featuring more than 100,000 orchids plus trees, vines, dragonflies and a waterfall to bring to mind a South Pacific Island. Stroll on to a simulated ‘Underwater Paradise’ and finally to ‘This Place Called Paradise’ with pearly gates of lilies, carnations and roses. As always there will be wonderful exhibits by amateurs and professionals in competitive classes; themed designs in tables, rooms and gardens, plus free hourly lectures and demonstrations by expert gardeners. You can shop in the Flower Show Marketplace, browse in the Garden Book Fair hosted by Borders Books, stop in the ‘Wedding Room’ for a look at floral vignettes and enjoy a Garden Tea (reservations advised) with sandwiches, scones, fruit and various teas. Gardening families will love the Flower Show. The aisles are wide enough to permit strollers but small children on foot may have trouble seeing when the Show is crowded with adults. Admission is charged. Tickets may be bought online at www.theflowershow.com, at some PNC and other locations, or at the box office. Call 215-988-8899 to learn more. 

Off to ‘Gettal-land’

The Mitchell-Robinson Youth Theatre Company (which previously staged Cocoa Brown and the 7 Homies and Wiz-Up) is presenting a “contemporary spin on a classic fairy tale” called Alicia in Ghettal-Land, the story of Alicia and her adventures after she follows a giant talking White Rat down the “Sewer of Despair.” The play runs February 27, 28 and 29 and March 5, 6 and 7, with shows on Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Performances will be in the Mitchell-Robinson Youth Theatre’s home base, the Germantown Theatre Center, 4821 Germantown Ave. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. Group rates for 25 or more people are available. To learn more, call 215-843-5155 or visit www.mitchell-robinsontheatre.org.

Papermaking

Parents and children are invited to learn papermaking at a family workshop at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Broad and Cherry Streets, on Saturday, February 28, starting at 11:30 a.m. Participants will work with different materials in various sizes, shapes and colors. This is one in a series of workshops and a small fee is charged, with reduced rates available for multiple visits and groups. To learn more, call 215-972-2061.

Free at Kimmel

Commonwealth Plaza at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, on South Broad Street, will again host three free concerts this week. Dancebeat is featured on Saturday, February 28, at noon, and Liebesfreud String Quartet on Sunday, February 29, at noon, while Kusangala, a jazz quintet starring harpist Gloria Galante, will perform on Wednesday, March 3, at 6 p.m. For additional details, visit www.kimmelcenter.org/events/plaza.php

Explorer’s Tour

Parents with kids ages 6-12 are welcome to explore various themes during these special tours at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Parkway. ‘Seashores in Art’ is the focus this Sunday, February 29, and a Museum teacher will be on hand in the galleries to help at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Free tickets are required. Families may also take part in the Drawing Together program and self-guided tours, for which tickets are not required. For further information about this program and upcoming ones, call 215-684-7605. 

To have a program considered email Ruth Russell at ruth@phillyrecord.com