CHOW! SUMMER 2010
MASELLI TRUSTS THAT THE QUALITY
OF HIS LOCAL INGREDIENTS WILL COAX
EUGENEANS TO BRANCH OUT
‘AND EXPERIENCE MORE OF ITALY.’
BUON APPETITO
The focus on sustainability invested in the restaurant’s decor is
evident in its menu as well. Lamb, beef and veal are all sourced
locally (though Maselli is quick to point out that Sfizio will cater to a
wide array of palates, including the meatless). Eggs will come from
Lorane, flour from Pendleton. Sfizio’s pastas, from bucatini and riga-
toni to ravioli and spaghettini, will be prepared fresh daily, in-house.
“We’re not taking too many liberties” with traditional recipes,
says Maselli, who trusts that the quality of his local ingredients
will coax Eugeneans to branch out “and experience more of Italy.”
Portions for one will be available, but Maselli says he hopes diners
will order the food as he intended it: family style, with enough to
feed the entire table.
As for why he’d open his new spot during an economic reces-
sion, “This is peasant food” Maselli says philosophically. “It’s going
to be a great value for the customer. It’s healthy, it’s filling.”
In keeping with Sfizio’s aim of expanding Eugene’s
Mediterranean palate, desserts veer away from Italian menu stal-
warts like tiramisu, opting instead for crostata, panna cotta and a
confection feast with the delightful name “the doughnut plate.”
For his drinks menu, Maselli has secured the consultant ser-
vices of Portland mixologist Jeffrey Morgenthaler. “What I’m
envisioning for the bar menu is a small list of well-executed origi-
nal cocktails inspired by Italian flavors,” says Morgenthaler.
“We’re going to be using a lot of amari (bitter Italian liqueurs) and
putting together some very simple but solid cocktails.”
Wines from Sfizio’s impressive list will be available by the
glass, quarter liter, half liter or liter, and sparkling Italian wine will
be on tap. “My goal is to get wine on every table,” Maselli says.
FAMILY TIES
Like the dishes he prepares, Rocky Maselli himself derives
from a solid culinary lineage. His parents hail from California.
“One side was olives, one side was grapes,” he says; Maselli’s
father’s family was in the olive and olive oil business in the San
Joaquin Valley, while his mother’s family grew grapes in
Sonoma.
A family move to British Columbia when he was 10 exposed
Maselli to Northwest cuisine. After completing a degree in restau-
rant management, Maselli cooked his way through positions in the
Bay Area and Portland. Maselli’s wife, Leah, is the daughter of
Marché owner Stephanie Pearl Kimmel, and Maselli’s career and
personal life have grown along with the family business. “My
daughters and Marché both happened [to me] in ’98,” he says.
For Sfizio, Maselli has assembled a new famiglia. Chef Alex
Bourgidu’s pedigree includes the restaurants Genoa of Portland
and Porta of North Bend. Sous chef Quinton Stewart is a graduate
of Branzino and Tilth, two Seattle restaurants. Sfizio’s general
manager Jon Cook held that position at Café Lucky Noodle, and
has worked at other Eugene spots including Mazzi’s, Mekala’s and
Ambrosia.
Maselli seems eager to get cooking. “This is my opportunity to
invite Eugene and do something different,” he says, “to bring what
I was doing in Portland or San Francisco to Eugene.”
■
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CHOW! JUNE 10, 2010 5