Tutti Gusti, New Canton Eatery, Offers a Menu for All Tastes

With names like Vinnie and Giovanni, you know it's authentic.

by Cathy Adams

     Tutti Gusti, "many tastes," opened three months ago on the edge of gentrified Canton. The menu combines standard Italian pastas, Panini (otherwise known as subs) and pizza along with more creative and authentic Neapolitan dishes.

     The owners, both native of Naples, Vinnie Costaglioni and Giovanni Ercole, share cooking duties and, as is true in any small business, whatever else needs to be done. Costaglioni, who is also a partner of Strapazza on Pratt Street, completely renovated an old deli on Fait Avenue, installing lots of ceramic tile, large new windows and an open kitchen. Castaglioni chose old fashioned double decked pizza ovens instead of the new conveyor belt ovens because they "make the crust crunchier."

     Tutti Gusti's thin crust gourmet pizzas include Quattro Stagione (four seasons) with ham, roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes and mushrooms, olives and fresh tomatoes; Pizza Genovese with pesto, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella and sausage and Pizza del Pescatore with shrimp, calamari, mozzarella and fresh tomatoes.

     Of course french fries and onion rings are on the menu, but Brushetta (toasted slices of Italian bread topped with either chopped tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil or the topping of the day) or an Antipasto platter with proscuitto, soprosatta ( a dried sausage similar to salami), roasted eggplant, fresh mozzarella, olives and marinated mushrooms are for more adventurous tastes.

     One of the more uncommon specials is the kind of food that Costaglioni describes as "Naples' fast food snacks." Panzarotti (little croquettes of whipped potatoes, fresh mozzarella and soprosatta) and Arancini ( fried balls of rice, dices ham, sweet peas and parmesan) are not on the menu yet, but they are offered daily and regular customers come in and ask for them. Much of Tutti Gusti's business is carry-out and it also offers pasta dinners for 4 or 6 people to go. The choices include spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna, Penne Primavera (broccoli, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms in a cream sauce), and Tortellini Boscaiola (cheese tortellini with peas, prosciutto, mushrooms and tomatoes in a cream sauce).

     Along one wall in the dining room is a mural, a take-off on "The Last Supper" by Leonardo daVinci, painted by a Neapolitan artist. In the next few months Costiglioni plans to make changes in the dining area, to make it a more inviting dining room. Tutti Gusti

     3100 Fait Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland
(410) 534-4040
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11-10

             Friday-Saturday 11-11
             Sunday 12-10

     Appetizers: $1.40-6.95
Entrees & Pizzas: $5.95-13.95