Chef Dante Boccuzzi is hoping to give folks a new reason to stop by dba and another reason to dine out during the week.
The restaurant, which stands for Dante Boccuzzi Akron, 21 Furnace St., is offering a $25 three-course meal during dinner, Monday through Thursday.
The choices begin with soup or salad, and then diners can pick ricotta cavatelli with a walnut gorgonzola cream or risotto with roasted bay scallops and Meyer lemon for the second course, and poached fluke with spinach and roasted potatoes or a duo of pork tenderloin and pork shoulder with celery root accompaniments for the third.
Diners can add a beer or wine pairing to each for just $10 more.
Boccuzzi opened dba in July at the Northside Lofts space that previously had been home to Chrissie Hynde’s VegiTerranean. He also owns three other restaurants in the Cleveland area.
More restaurant news
Frank’s Place, 549 W. Market St., Akron, is a small bar, which over the years has earned a big reputation for its food. Owner Frank Horvath typically makes sure that he keeps someone creative in the kitchen.
This time, chef Tala Epperly is the one who is new at the stove. Epperly has been cooking for more than 10 years and intends to give the menu a bit of a makeover, including adding vegetarian dishes.
Kitchen hours at Frank’s Place are 5 to 11 p.m. daily, with late-night appetizers until 1 a.m.
A dinner you can’t refuse
Tozzi’s Restaurant, 218 Court Ave. NW, downtown Canton, is hosting a Godfather Dinner, with wines from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery beginning at 6:15 p.m. March 28.
The five-course meal is inspired by The Godfather, and includes soup of fishes, spaghetti with meatballs and sausage, orange salad, veal parmigiana, and cannoli (inspired, of course, by the famous line, “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”)
The meal includes a wine pairing with each course. It’s $65. Phone 330-471-8000 for reservations.
With good bread at hospital
If you have ever had to go to the Cleveland Clinic, you’ll know that one of the best parts about going is getting to stop for a bite at the Au Bon Pain cafes that dot the campus.
Now, you won’t have to go nearly as far to enjoy their bread, croissants, soup, salads and other favorites. A new Au Bon Pain is scheduled to open on the main floor of Akron General Medical Center on Friday, in the spot previously occupied by Petite Cafe.
It will be the seventh Au Bon Pain location in Ohio and the first in the Akron area.
GFS store opens in Copley
A new GFS Marketplace has opened in Copley Township at 120 Rothrock Road.
The store specializes in wholesale food and supplies for restaurants, caterers and home cooks. The store is open to the public and does not require a membership.
It is GFS’ fourth store in the Akron-Canton area and its 39th in Ohio.
The new store employs approximately 40 people. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Chefs come back to cook
The University of Akron’s Garde Manger Club is hosting its Spring Graduate Chef Dinner on April 6, beginning at 5:30 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres.
The dinner is prepared by chefs who have graduated from UA’s School of Hospitality Management along with some of the chefs who teach on the faculty at the school. In all, 12 chefs will play a role in preparing the eight-course meal, working on everything from bread and appetizers and ice carvings, to entrees, salads and desserts.
Wine pairings for each course are provided by Wolf Creek Winery.
Tickets are $50. The dinner will be served at UA’s Crystal Room restaurant inside Gallucci Hall, 200 E. Exchange St., Akron.
Phone 330-972-6615 for reservations, which are required. All proceeds from the dinner benefit the Garde Manger Club, which helps to pay expenses for students learning the craft of fruit, vegetable and ice carving.
Breakfast is this Saturday
We let you know about this event last week, but failed to mention which Saturday it was taking place. It is this Saturday, March 23, when the Summit County Farm Bureau is hosting its fifth annual Farmer’s Share Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at Copley High School, 3807 Ridgewood Road, Copley Township.
Pancakes with local maple syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, milk and coffee will be served. The breakfast is $1, which represents the average portion the farmer receives as compensation for producing the food for the breakfast.
Families are welcome. All proceeds will be donated to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and local food pantries.
The event will include a free vegetable gardening seminar from 8:45 to 10 a.m., presented by Vince Matlock, a Summit County master gardener specializing in backyard and local foods.
There will be a canned food drive, and the Summit County Farm Bureau Mobile Learning Laboratory will be on site for educational activities for adults and kids, including learning how maple syrup is made.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.
