Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/410828
214 Donatello's 44 Broadway North, Saugus, 781-233-9975, donatello-restaurant.com Ristorante Pavarotti 601 Main St., Reading, 781-670-9050, ristorantepavarotti.com Photograph by Lauren Poussard; by Glenn Scott (opposite page); by Briana Moore (left) self at 10 years old, peeking into his father's pot of eels only to have them squirm out onto his mother's kitchen floor—he managed to put them all back! As I talked with Nino, I was curious if he ever considered preparing the feast at Donatello's. He admitted yes, time and again, and has not ruled out the prospect but knows enough about the ingredi- ents, preparation, and planning to realize it's the kind of meal he would want prepared to his own exacting standards and DiCenso tradition. The eels alone have to be ordered about two to three weeks in advance. At Ristorante Pavarotti in Reading, I had the pleasure of sitting with owner Massimo Fiume, who moved to this country in 1988. He experienced the feast in his native Calabria region, with his Sicil- ian mother and Calabrese father shaping his early memories. His family prepared a range of special- ties, including octopus, calamari, mussels, oysters, razor clams, scallops in the shell (capesante), and branzino (also known as bronzino). He cooks his own version at his home on Christmas Eve and enjoys keeping the tradition alive. Discussing La Vigilia with Steve DiFillippo, own- er of the renowned Davio's franchise, and executive chef Rodney Merullo, I was impressed to learn that they actually serve the feast in their restaurants during the Christmas season. Merullo does not think stretching the menu out over several hours works in a restaurant setting, so his menu incorpo- rates at least seven types of seafood condensed into fewer courses. DiFillippo, who grew up in Lynnfiel with fond feast memories, feels the celebration should be inclusive—"It's not just for those of Ital- ian background," he points out. Merullo, who is originally from Costa Rica, im- migrated to this country at a young age and learned several kitchen techniques from his good friend and mentor, Tonino Dalfonso of Davio's. In fact, Rodney's first Feast of the Seven Fishes took place at Tonino's home, where he saw simple ingredi- ents expertly prepared, a pared-down cooking philosophy that has helped shape his own culinary approach. Surrounded by a great team of chefs at Davio's, Merullo encourages them to focus on using the best ingredients possible while supplementing with their own creative touches. In researching the Feast of the Seven Fishes, I learned that the textbook facts regarding its origins are really not as important as a family's own tried-and- true preparation methods of regional favorites—or, in other words, just the way Nonna used to make it. ● n Davio's 427 Walnut St., Lynnfield 781-944-4810, davios.com/lynnfiel Above, executive chef Rodney Merullo of Davio's in Lynnfield. Right, Merullo's whole fis For recipes, go to nshoremag.com/lavigilia-recipes