Say what you will about the Italians generally and the Sicilians specifically, there's no doubt that they're very sentimental when it comes to family. And the family backstory is crucial to the actual news: that Corino Bonjrada of Magnolia's tiny, super-cute Mondello is opening a pizzeria on Broadway.
The new venture has its roots in Sicily, specifically at a pub & nightclub called Ottanotto at number 88 on the Via Candelai in Palermo. (Ottantotto means 88 in Italian.) "Mamma Enza" Sorrentino, executive chef at Mondello in Magnolia, owned the pub before she moved to Seattle 13 years ago to join her son.
During the 15 years that he's been in Seattle, Bonjrada has owned La Vita รจ Bella in Belltown, Divino Wine Bar in Ballard, and the Queen Margherita pizzeria in Magnolia in addition to Mondello. He has also sold pizza at farmers markets from a mobile, wood-fired pizza oven that he will now install at the Broadway location.
As it happens, Corretto took over from Pane Vino, an Italian spot run by Francesco Angiuli, who had been operations director for Mike McConnell's Via Tribunali as well as general manager for Mamma Enza's previous restaurant atop Queen Anne, Enza Cucina Siciliana. Pane Vino was bought by Travis Rosenthal and renamed Corretto. Rosenthal sold the place this summer to a group headed by James Orr.
Bonjrada and his mom have worked together at Mondello for the past three years. We can expect Pizzeria 88 to open in early February.
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