Caffe Piccolo Adds Savory Italian to Pawleys Island
By Becky Billingsley
Jimmy Pronesti may have learned the restaurant business the hard and fast way, but his new Italian eatery in Pawleys Island offers relaxed and leisurely dining.
The chef/proprietor opened Caffe Piccolo in early fall 2010, and diners who appreciate simple and well-prepared meals with fresh choice ingredients are enjoying lunches and dinners in the unique space. The chef has assistance from his significant other, Amber Griffin, who has much restaurant experience and is the food and beverage manager at a local resort.
Caffe Piccolo may be small, but Pronesti remodeled to maximize the space so diners don't feel crowded. It's in the spot adjoining the To Your Health market, where Chive Blossom restaurant was located before it moved to a larger building up the road.
Inside, walls are a warm and earthy mustard color with an accent wall dressed in medium brown beadboard paneling. The bar top and front are crusted in mosaic tiles that pick up and accent the color scheme. At night yellow votives cast glows on white linen tablecloths, and black linen napkins are rolled to encase the cutlery. Framed black and white photography and thoughtfully placed dried flower arrangements set a modern-yet-rustic scene.
Outside an al fresco dining area surrounded by live plants is competently serviced by cheerful black-clad servers. By day it's a relaxing garden setting (but the landscaping has more work to be done), and by night it's a romantic candlelit spot.
The menu isn't huge, but dishes are made with premium ingredients and crafted with customers' pleasure in mind.
If you like scallops, the ones Pronesti uses are large, plump and gloriously sweet dry-packed scallops from Georges Bank off the coast of Massachusetts. You can have them as an appetizer, seared and served with bacon, wilted arugula and bean puree; or as an entree with pappardelle pasta, shiitake mushrooms, arugula, Parmesan-Reggiano cheese and a white truffle oil drizzle.
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Other appetizers include Crab Cakes with avocado salsa; Calamari sautéed in olive oil and garlic, and served in marinara; Salmon Carpaccio; and Mozzarella Caprese. House salads are prepared with a variety of greens, thin and wide carrot curls, grape tomatoes, purple onion rings and prettily turned cucumber slices, and two dressings are available: Creamy gorgonzola and Italian vinaigrette.
Two other salads are Fennel and Orange with red onion, brined black olives and citrus mint vinaigrette; and Arugula and Fried Gorgonzola with lemon vinaigrette. These can be topped with chicken or shrimp.
Entrees are classic Italian recipes including Shrimp Marinara, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Shrimp Scampi, pasta with calamari, clams, shrimp or mussels; Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon in brandy cream sauce; Penne Puttanesca; Penne with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe; and chicken or veal prepared in classic Italian methods of Piccata, Marsala, Francese or Sorrentino.
Three entree specials were on the board: Veal Gorgonzola with sautéed spinach and sun-dried tomatoes; Seared Scallops in citrus mint sauce; and Pistachio-Encrusted Haddock.
Many of the same appetizers and salads are available for lunch, and you can also get panini. The Panini at Caffe Piccolo have fillings such as basil pesto, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, marinated tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olive/artichoke tapenade, portabello mushrooms, Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, cappicola, sopressata and lemon-dill aioli.
Desserts are not made in-house, but they're prepared locally and are quite enjoyable. The lineup changes, but expect choices such as Tiramisu, Chocolate Chip Cannoli (Pronesti makes the filling) and Chocolate Mousse Cake.
Caffe Piccolo is at 9428 Ocean Highway in Pawleys Island, and the number is 843-314-3424. It's open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to close, Mondays through Saturdays.
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