Conscious Choice: Spacca Napoli Exudes Authenticity

June 2006 | Conscious Dining

Spacca Napoli Exudes Authenticity

By Janine MacLachlan

My discovery of Spacca Napoli began as a quest. A friend who had lived in Italy heard of a just-opened authentic pizzeria in the Ravenswood area and wanted to check it out. We knew neither the name nor the address, just a vague location near the railroad tracks. We cruised either side of the Brown Line tracks, then spotted it a few blocks north of Montrose on the east side of the tracks.

It was 9:15, fifteen minutes past closing time. Would it be possible to get an after-hours pizza? No such luck: Today’s unused dough had just been tossed out. Our hopes dashed, I was torn between admiration for a restaurant that prized quality rather than saving dough for the next day to keep costs in line, and regret at this setback in our quest. But my heart soared as our host, reluctant to let down potential patrons, even tardy ones, broke out the Proseco, the sparkling wine of Italy, and laid out a selection of antipasti.

A Step Into Naples, with no Jet Lag

Every once in a while you come across a place that exudes a vision. For chef/owner Jonathan Goldsmith, Spacca Napoli is it. From the custom-built oven and a logo inspired by an ancient coin to the authentic soft-crust pizza, this place appears to be a neighborhood spot, but it’s really a peek into someone’s calling. In one of those serendipitous instances of bad timing turned good, we heard a great story to console us for missing the great pizza.

First, there’s the oven. Not satisfied with just any old wood-burning oven, Goldsmith took authenticity to a new level by bringing over sand, brick and volcanic stone from Naples, along with three Italian artisans who knew how to craft the materials into an oven that can reach 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. The exterior of the oven does justice to the craftsmanship, studded with shimmery copper mosaic tiles embedded with the wheat-motif logo Goldsmith first spotted amongst a Neopolitan friend’s antique collection. “Wheat today has more wheatberries,” he tells us, explaining why the wheat might look a little sparse to someone who knows contemporary crops. The oven is the perfect centerpiece for the restaurant, decorated in warm surfaces of terra cotta floor tiles, granite counters, exposed brick and warm gold walls that set off original art by Goldsmith’s wife, artist Ginny Sykes.

Relaxed and Authentic

Now, about the pizza. I went back a few days later to finally taste it, and have returned several times since. The style is Neopolitan, and the crust is intended to be puffy, soft and chewy, made simply with flour, yeast, salt and water. Naples native Nella Grassano was brought on board to help Goldsmith create the authentic crust, made with Italian flour and stretched by hand, rather than tossed, to keep the texture soft and pliable rather than crispy.

On the lower level is a giant machine that mimics the mixing motion of a pair of muscular arms, mixing dough to the right consistency. The attention to detail continues all the way to the table with the special knives designed just for pizza cutting, with a flat, serrated edge.

Pizzas — all one size — are topped with classic flavor combinations. One of my favorites (and I have several), is the bianca con bufala e arucola, a white pizza with no tomato sauce, with buffalo mozzarella, topped with fresh arugula when it comes out of the wood-fired oven, then drizzled with olive oil. The fresh greens on the warm pizza make an intriguing taste combo for me, and it doesn’t feel as indulgent as another favorite, the quattro formaggi, with mozzarella, gorgonzola, ementhal and fontina. Rich, but worth it. Purists can opt for the margherita with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil, or the salsiccia e broccoletti, Italian sausage with rapini, one of my favorite veggies also called broccoli rabe. All for a mere $8.50 to $15 a pop.

Antipasti, the starters, range from $3 to $10 for salads and sides of seafood eggplant, zucchini and such. Dessert ($4.50) is pretty straightforward, tiramisu, the classic with a custard of mascarpone cheese layered with coffee-soaked lady fingers and rum that gives this traditional dessert its name, which translates as “pick me up.” And spumoni, the multi-toned ice cream. It appears Goldsmith might be on the hunt to expand sweet offerings. On one visit, a cheese importer was showcasing a lemon-infused ricotta, suggesting it would make a nice companion to berries once they’re in season. Stay tuned.

All the beverages are Italian, reasonable wine by the glass and the bottle, and beer, no Miller Lite, no microbrews from the Pacific Northwest. And refreshing Italian sodas in flavors like lemon and orange. The only nod to American taste is the Coke and Sprite “because the Italians request it,” says Goldsmith. At the end of the meal, the cappuccino comes in a glass, in a nice Italian-size portion — no venti latte to serve a family of five, just a nice finish.

The Final Word

I’m a big advocate of local ingredients, although I make an exception when I see a place importing food to offer a unified experience. Still, it warmed my heart when I heard Goldsmith describing his own quest to find a fiori di latte whole milk mozzarella from Wisconsin.

Spacca Napoli, 1769 W. Sunnyside, Chicago. 773-878-2420. Open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday; for dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Open noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Janine MacLachlan’s search for fabulous food takes her on many adventures.

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