Wally Kennedy: Downtown closure likely opens door for new pizza place

Aug. 11—I first met Orlando Bevilacqua some 20 years ago in Pittsburg, Kansas, where he had opened the Gran Sasso Italian Restaurant to rave reviews.

When I watched Bevilacqua prepare pasta alla vodka in his kitchen, I knew his talent was more than just good technique — it was instinctive. There was some butter, tomato sauce, some Italian bacon, also known as pancetta, a little vodka, some flame, and then a dose of cream. The sauce was combined with penne pasta and within a matter of a couple of minutes, he had assembled a flavorful but simple dish.

He made Italian cooking look so easy. I have made pasta alla vodka in my home kitchen based on what I saw him do in his kitchen decades ago. It's good, but it doesn't compare with his version of the dish. It might help that he's Italian.

Bevilacqua opened the Gran Sasso in Pittsburg's old Kelso Mill at Fourth and Elm streets in June 2001. For the past seven years, he has operated WiseGuys Italian American Comfort Foods in a small storefront in the Village Plaza shopping center at 3702 E. Seventh St. in Joplin. The hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. It stays open a little later Fridays and Saturdays.

Diners online have given the restaurant four- and five-star reviews. They tend to describe WiseGuys this way: "Found this hole in the wall for dinner. It was amazing."

I dropped in to visit with Bevilacqua this week to find out about his latest venture into Italian cuisine. He invited me into his kitchen during the lunch rush hour. Watching him assemble multi-ingredient dishes and sandwiches from scratch, again, was such a pleasure.

Bevilacqua was born in Italy in the central state of Abruzzo. Chef Mario Batali is from there. His family, who has been involved in the restaurant business for a long time, hails from the city of Pescara on the Adriatic Sea. He started cooking when he was 15 and learned his craft from his mother. This past Christmas, he returned home to visit with his parents.

When Carmine's, an award-winning pizza place at 524 S. Joplin Ave., recently closed, Bevilacqua jumped at the chance to get back into the business of making pizza. If all things go as planned, he hopes to open New York Style Pizza and Deli on Sept. 15.

Bevilacqua said the owner of Carmine's, Bill Cornell, did it right and that's what he intends to do.

"He let his dough ferment, and that's what I will do," he said. "It makes the crust so much better, and it takes care of the gluten."

His restaurant will also feature Sicilian-style pizza and sandwiches.

One thing I remember from my first encounter with Bevilacqua was something he told me about cooking: "Really, if you are going to cook, you only have to have one thing. You've got to have passion. You got passion, you can cook good."

New mattress store opens

Sleep Solutions Mattress Gallery has opened in Northpark Mall in the storefront that was formerly occupied by The Buckle.

This store, owned by a local family, offers a variety of mattresses, including Sealy, Tempur-Pedic and Jamison. Jamison is the brand that is used by many hotels. It also carries the Forever Bed, which is manufactured in Webb City using Leggett & Platt bedding components. The shop also offers the latest technology with regard to top bedding, including pillows, sheets and mattress protectors. You can also get adjustable bases and lift chairs. The manager told me the goal of Sleep Solutions is to find a person's perfect sleep setup. That has become easier because of the advances that have been made in the bedding industry.

One thing I learned from visiting this shop is that you don't need to change your headboard or footboard to use an adjustable base with an existing bed and mattress. Just remove the slats and put the base in their place. Adjustable beds can work wonders if you are bothered with sleep apnea or acid reflux.

Contact Wally Kennedy at wkennedy@joplinglobe.com.