An ode to an Italian enoteca

Pepe Nero's sibling spot serves up dishes inspired by owner's Italian roots

By Janice Binkert | Dec. 17, 2016

A native of Palermo, Sicily, Giorgio Lo Greco was born into a family whose roots as restaurateurs go back five generations. He grew up to be a chef himself, traveled the world cooking, and eventually emigrated to the U.S. with his Romanian wife, Monica, whom he met while the two were working for Princess Cruise Lines.

The two had been living in Italy, but Traverse City — which Giorgio had discovered several years earlier and returned to repeatedly — kept calling him back. Five years ago, the pair decided to take a leap of faith and move “across the pond” to continue Giorgio’s family legacy by opening their own small restaurant. Pepe Nero, in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, opened in 2011.

The good news was that Pepe Nero quickly gained a loyal following; the bad news was that just as quickly, it began to outgrow its tiny quarters. Looking for a larger property, Monica and Giorgio were confronted with yet another good news/bad news scenario when a space literally across the parking lot became available — the former kitchen of the old State Hospital.

We really liked it — as Europeans, we’re used to old buildings, and this one had a kind of Italian feel, too — but it was much bigger than what we wanted,” said Monica.

“And then after some discussions, it clicked: Why don’t we do two places with two different experiences served by the same kitchen? With separate names, concepts, decors and menus for each. We had talked about opening a little wine lounge here in Traverse City sometime, but we hadn’t considered combining it with Pepe Nero — until we got this place.” And that’s how Ballaro Wine Lounge (named after one of the oldest and liveliest street markets in Palermo) came to be.

Though the building needed plumbing, electricity, even ceilings, the Lo Grecos didn’t really want to change much about their new surroundings.

“There are a few restaurants we know in Palermo that have the same marble floor — even down to the size and the black and white pattern of the tiles — and the same yellow brick walls,” said Giorgio. “It felt familiar and right.” So, they cleaned and renovated instead of erasing the history of the rooms.

Monica was responsible for the decor. “For the restaurant, we tried to make it intimate, very romantic, with vintage Italian film posters on the walls, and long, soft neutral curtains on the high windows. It has an old Italian castle-like atmosphere, whereas Ballaro is more representative of Italy now — very trendy, edgy and modern, but still comfortable and cozy.”

The black and red color scheme adds to that feel. Grinning, Giorgio added: “The only thing I contributed was the red 1962 Piaggio Vespa. It was in very bad shape, and we completely restored it.”

BACK TO THE ROOTS

Menu planning came next. “When we are in Italy, we like going to an enoteca (wine bar), where you can get little bites or small plates of all kinds. We wanted Ballaro to be reminiscent of those places we knew back home.”

Giorgio said most of the food he serves is inspired by his Sicilian roots, “but I also do dishes from other parts of Italy.”

He emphasized that he likes to support local farmers as much as possible. “Loma Farms is a very good source for vegetables in the summer and fall. They inform us about what they have, and we try to work around that and make a recipe for the product.”

Menus change seasonally. As chef-owner, Giorgio works side by side in the kitchen every day with executive chef Coburn MacNaughton, and they develop new dishes together. “We’re lucky to have a very good team in the kitchen,” he said.

Giorgio is particularly proud of Ballaro’s charcuterie plate. It features products directly from Italy, representing various regions. “Each of the cheeses is from a different part of the country, and there are olives from Puglia and salami from Naples and Milan,” he said. “And I lived by the ocean in Palermo, so I like to cook seafood — especially octopus.”

By now it must be clear that this is anything but your usual “bar food.” The Ballaro menu is as diverse as it is ambitious. Besides octopus and charcuterie, it features such delicacies as tuna mojama (filleted salt-cured tuna with organic arugula and cherry tomatoes), and spinach fettuccini (fresh tomato sauce and burrata cheese) among its vegetarian, seafood and meat options.

VINO, VINO EVERYWHERE

Ballaro small plates are designed for sharing, in the tradition of Italian antipasto, and for enjoying with a glass of wine or a cocktail. They are presented as they are prepared — not all at once. “It is meant to be a leisurely experience that allows you to savor each dish fully,” said Monica.

Monica chooses the wines and trains the staff. “We were able to expand our wine selection greatly when we moved here,” she said. “She’s a natural at it,” said Giorgio. “She has a very good sense of taste — for food and for wine.”

As might be expected, the wine choices lean heavily — although not exclusively, toward Italy, with about 40 wines offered by the glass. The cocktail menu, on the other hand, is very select. “We use only premium brands,” said Monica. “Our bar manager is Italian, and he’s doing a very nice craft cocktail program.”

In response to a comment that they are both very ambitious and energetic, Monica replied, “We would not have made it this far without being that way. Of course it’s a lot of work, and sometimes a lot of stress, but mostly a lot of fun.”

Giorgio added, “It’s like this: We can be here 17 hours, finish at midnight, and look forward to coming back in the morning. We never get tired of it. And that means only one thing: You love what you are doing. We strive to do our best and make sure this place works. And it’s not only for our satisfaction — we’re happy when we see that our guests are happy.”

Ballaro and Pepe Nero are located on the first floor of the Kirkbride Hall Building at 700 Cottageview Drive, Suite 100, in Traverse City (inside The Village at Grand Traverse Commons). Open noon to 5 p.m. daily for happy hour, noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Also open New Year’s Eve. For private events, a dedicated dining room (seats 34), as well as the restaurant and lounge (seat 54 and 62, respectively), can be rented out. Cooking demonstrations and classes will start in early 2017. For more information, visit pepenerotc.com or call 231-929-1960.