The Philadelphia Inquirer - February 7, 1979
John Corr
Johnny Aiello finally got a liquor license for his Caffé, so he has decided to start an art school for children in the village of Filadelphia in southern Italy.
I know it's confusing, but Aiello is a complicated man. He owns Caffé sud at Fourth and South Streets.
He was doing very well selling espresso and other kinds of coffee, unusual salads and sandwiches and cheese. Now that he has a liquor license, he has begun selling more substantial meals (he sold out of everything Saturday night and had to close).
"Don't get me wrong," he hastens to add. "Our friends come here because it's a nice little place. It will always be just a nice little place." It's little, all right. The capacity is 30, tops.
Labels: Caffé sud
Philadelphia Welcomat - February 8, 1978
Johnny Aiello:
Planting The Seeds Of Global Empire
While a typically colorful procession of grease paint crazies descends upon TLA Cinema for another midnight screening of "Rocky Horror Picture Show," a small crowd of onlookers is gathering in front of the new Caffé sud at 404 South Street. There, a compactly built, dark-haired, bearded man wearing black pants and a black turtleneck sweater is standing outside in the sub-freezing air, polishing a slightly smudged window pane with maniacal, wreckless abandon.
JOHNNY AIELLO, you see, is a man obsessed with an idea. And the Caffé sud is the embodiment of that idea.
Just what the idea is, exactly, is something that only Aiello himself can full explain. But don't ask unless you're prepared to spend the next 4 or 5 hours listening.
It has something to do with "cultural sensitivity," "ethnic purity," and, what you might call "cultural globalism." Aiello's philosophy is basically this: each culture offers its own interpretation of life's problems, and all cultures seek to interpret the same set of conditions.
"A person's own culture acts as a prism through which he can begin to perceive the spectrum of all other cultures," Aiello asserts.
THE PRISM through which Aiello perceives the world was cut in the womb-like surroundings of a close-knit South Philadelphia Italian enclave near 6th and Dickinson Streets. His grandmother, who immigrated to America from Calabria, Italy, in the 1920's never learned to speak English, he says, because the little self-contained neighborhood was so much like the old country that she never had to.
It was not until about 10 years ago when Aiello began branching out from the protective confines of his childhood community that he realized his perspective was not exactly the same as every one else's.
That's when the obsession was born.
"I realized," Aiello recalls, "that there was no machinery in that big superstructure to enable a person like me to redefine myself without giving up a part of my identity. I was like a little village kid who was thrust out into the world and forced to choose between total assimilation into the mainstream or total regression back to the village."
AFTER EARNING his bachelors' degree in art and his master's in education and communications, Aiello spent the next 10 years searching for a middle road between the two unacceptable choices.
He would teach for a year or two, save some money, and then take a year or two off to study and travel. "I'm interested in finding out what the world is about and what I am about," he says, "and all of my work stems from that search.
Aiello's exploration of world culture eventually led him to the second part of his philosophy: that the hub of all the world's great cultures is in the Mediterranean; specifically, in Italy where, he points out, the two greatest global structures in history - The Roman Empire and the Catholic Church - both were born.
Aiello sees the Mediterranean as an almost mystical spot on the globe where the essence of a vast array of divergent energies all flow together into a single harmonious sea of creativity. "The Italian word for it is 'sincretismo'," he explains. "It means the ability to put discordant units together and allow them to work constructively."
HIS DISCOVERY of this 'golden thread' which links the world has inspired Aiello to undertake several ambitious projects to promulgate his philosophy. Several years ago, he helped to found the Verranzano College for Mediterranean Studies in New York. He is currently working on a history book called "The Next Italian Empire," and he recently completed a proposal for a special television documentary, which focuses on his cultural crossroad concept of the Mediterranean.
What Aiello says he has learned from his years of research is that there is, indeed, a middle road between the old world and the new, and that now, for the first time, America is ready to accept that.
Labels: Caffé sud
Philadelphia magazine - March 1978
Dorothy Cupich
Southern comfort
Like nothing you'd expect to find on Strada sud, Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" is black and white and chic all over. Recently opened at 4th & South, the elegant, Deco room has black-washed walls, natural woods, greens, and a black-garbed staff attending white-linen-draped tables. What Johnny Aiello and Deborah Kaplan have created is an addictive, European-style Caffé where you could spend an evening lingering over a pair of cappuccinos and nibbling panini, the tiny sandwiches taken on Florentine afternoons on the Via Tournaquinci. On the rest of the bill are Mediterranean sandwiches like the big antipasto on Lebanese bread (with a complimentary glass of wine); delizioso homemade soups; rich pasticerria like ricotta cheese cake (if Johnny's mother has made one this week), and whatever Deborah has baked-her hazelnut torte or apricot cheesecake or Viennese chocolate cake that sends shock waves of sweetness. The Caffé crackles with late-night talk, so if you want intimate, whispered conversation, come early in the evening, bring a friend, and empty a bottle of chianti while Piaf sings about "no regrets." Instead of vino, you could store an anisette bottle here and have Johnny tincture your espressos whenever you return.
Labels: Caffé sud
John Corr
RESTAURANTS: Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" on south Street is holding the first of what probably will be many "set dinners." Thirty people will partake tonight of a single, multi-course Italian dinner prepared by an Italian chef imported just for the occasion.
Caffé sud, by the way, is one of the few places in town serving cappuccino.
Labels: Caffé sud
Philadelphia Inquirer - February 23, 1979
John Corr
JUST DESSERTS: Yes, Murray, there are plenty of restaurants that welcome diners who come in just for dessert. (When Murray eats out, he likes to make it a movable feast.) One of the best places for this has to be Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" on south Street.
The coffee is freshly ground before your eyes, there are things like espresso and cappuccino, a nice wine list and wonderful pastry.
Labels: Caffé sud
John Corr
RESTAURANTS: Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" on South Street will be closed from Aug. 12 to Sept. 14 because owner Johnny Aiello is going to Italy to set up a small, free art school for children in a village in Calabria. Coincidentally, the village is called Filadelfia, and it is close to the town in which Mayor Frank L. Rizzo's father was born.
Labels: Caffé sud
Philadelphia Inquirer - November 19, 1982
At Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud", coffee is served in glass cups that let you see the white milk on top of the dark coffee, a nice touch. Lights are low, the mood is romantic, the food is good. A cannoli was fat with ricotta cheese filling studded with ground hazelnuts and chocolate.
Labels: Caffé sud
Philadelphia Gay News - October, 1979
"Culinary Comments"
Though there are now many attractive restaurants in Center City Philadelphia, I would list Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" among the top two in the consistency and beauty of its décor. The theme opens with the beckoning, dimly lit purple neon lit window through which can be glimpsed the beautifully scribed menu and the bar with its enormous eagle-surmounted espresso urn.The interior is filled with a mixture of original photographs, a few plants in a curved wooden planter and small tables with attractive ice cream parlor-style chairs. A few beautiful and eclectic antique collectables grace the available spaces by the walls and planter and the walls are starkly black. Silverware and glassware are equally attractive.
Our pheasant pate was attractive and very good, with a mild flavor, and was served with firm, fragrant black bread and quite exceptional black olives, from Italy no doubt. The quiche was two good-sized pieces in an unusual rectangular shape and had the pleasing texture and taste of crumbly cheese and a rich egg custard base.
Shrimp scampi was beautiful to look at and delicious to taste. The appearance was enhanced by leaving the tails unshelled on the shrimp, and the taste was rich with garlic butter. It was served over al dente Italian rice. The special of the day was a fine fish mousse with a clear flavor of fresh fish and butter set off by a tinge of vinegar tartness.
The house salad was large and enjoyable and included both romaine and bib lettuce mixed with tomatoes, rounds of Bermuda onion, a taste of Italian tuna and a good vinegar-and-oil dressing. Most dishes are also accompanied by marvelous wrinkled black olives band fresh warm Armenian pita bread.
Labels: Caffé sud
"Caffé sud"
Driving along South Street near 4th, you may be intrigued by an eye-catching place that demands investigation. It's a most unusual Italian coffee shop with striking, art-deco décor and it is called Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud".If you yearn for a late night snack after a show at the TLA or Grendel's Lair you might want to sample an unusual open face sandwich that includes imported Swiss, Genoa salami, prosciutto, capocolla, provolone and pepperoni with olives, peppers, anchovies and olive oil. It is a small masterpiece.
We were also impressed with carrot soup and some superior Italian pastries. The unusual place also carries a full line of imported sodas in addition to the espresso, cappuccino and other refreshments.
Labels: Caffé sud
Nila Aronow
South Street Saturday Night sounds like a title for a youth cult film. And the cast of characters walking around South Street in Philadelphia on a summer evening could certainly populate a movie.There are preppies and punks. There are toughs and wimps and hand-holding couples of every sexual persuasion. There are teeny-boppers smoking whatever it is they smoke and tanned, middle-aged women working at looking young in their T-shirts and wrap skirts. They park their motorcycles and their Mercedes to walk on South Street.
There's no problem eating out in this neighborhood. Everyone can find his level---in the touristy terraces of New Market, in the pizza and sub shops that line the streets or in some of the finest restaurants in Philadelphia or any town.
What we went looking for the other night was a place where the South Street scene continued inside as well as out and we were lucky enough to stumble into Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud", an admirable blend of South Italy and South Philadelphia.
Dark paint and muted lighting over a multitude of sins here. The effect is funkily attractive, with really interesting art deco floor lamps and table fixtures and many quality posters and prints that lean heavily toward bare breasts. This is, by the way, not a family place. We have good feelings toward them, the menu reads, but "for a variety of reasons, WE DO NOT SERVE CHILDREN."
We weren't shocked by the art work but we were a little taken back by the wine list---nothing under $20. So we drank our wine by the glass ($2.50), and a pretty green-stemmed glass it was.
The menu is chatty and effusive. It not only lists all the ingredients you can expect, but adds messages such as, "My mother's recipe so watch out what you say." And such unattributed quotes as "The best lasagna I ever ate."
We didn't taste the lasagna but I'll bet it is the best because the dishes we tried were superb, lustily and inventively seasoned and beautifully presented.
"specialsudsalad" included in the price of dinner was heaped with the freshest romaine, tomatoes, black olives, mushrooms and more---topped with cheese and an absolutely delicious, piquant dressing.
Gambaretto ($12.95) is an entrée so artfully arranged that there's a right and wrong way to position it on the table. Our server accidentally got it backward then reversed himself so the shrimp faced the diner with the broccoli sprigs as backdrop. The shrimp and vegetables---zucchini, asparagus, et al---were perfectly cooked and the sauce was an excellent blend of flavors.
The many vegetables with the Calabrian quiche were served cold, crisp and tangy with marinade. The quiche itself ($7.95) was hearty with pepperoni and several types of cheese, another strong and interesting flavor. What we have here is a kitchen that is not afraid to make a statement.
Desserts at Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" are gorgeous, displayed enticingly in a case by the door. We tried a special called Josephine, a large floppy cookie-shell filled with the finest fruit---berries, grapes, peaches, kiwi---and topped with whipped, all as fresh as today.
"Caffé sud" would be a great place for dessert and coffee or drinks---a fine chance to sit back and enjoy the South Street scene.
Labels: Caffé sud
Dining Find
Gerald Etter
It is only mere coincidence that Johnny Aiello's "Caffé sud" (Italian for south) happens to be located on South Street. But coincidence has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that this artistic, charming café presents creations that are both aesthetic to the eye and pleasing to the palate.
Sud, as in Caffé sud, refers in this instance to the south of Italy. It appears on the menu that the owner has his family roots in Calabria, but he and his female chef have branched out into a sort of free-form cuisine that is matched in creativity and taste only by the cafe's unusual and delightfully offbeat ambiance.
One might be hard-pressed to give an accurate description of the café's décor, because such an analysis depends on where your table is located. At one moment you might have the feeling that you are dining in an antique-café museum; at another you might decide you are in the midst of a surreal dining fantasy. Sometimes you have a warm feeling, other times there is a cool aloofness.
A bluish hue pervades the café. Slatted, blond folding chairs complement some tables; poster-type prints mingle with line drawings and sketches, and ceramic items from various schools of art abound. Floor lamps glow like reddish heating elements and glass-dished candles send shadows flickering across the white-linened tables.
The only criticism one might possibly have is that the café is somewhat on the dark side, making it a bit difficult to visually appreciate the various dishes served here. And this is a shame since each edible creation is an artistic presentation that looks as if it has been approved by an art curator. Besides, it's always nice to be able to see what you are eating.
The menu is not set up in the conventional form of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, etc. It is, instead, mimeographed sheets encased in plastic with entrees numbered from one to nine, and antipasto selections numbered from 10 to 13. Number 14 is the soup of the day and grilled "sudwiches" on whole-wheat pita bread round out the menu from 15 to 19.
The six beautifully fashioned desserts are listed on the menu as they appear in the pastry case from left to right - an eccentricity born of the owner's fastidious nature. The menu concludes with various coffees, Italian sodas and nectar drinks. There is San Pellegrino mineral water available, along with imported cigarettes and Italian beer.
And just in case you're thinking of bringing your children, there is a note on the menu that states: "For a variety of good reasons we do not serve children. We do, however, have good feelings toward them."
As for the food itself, each item is a truly individual creation with its own distinct flavor. Our gazpacho soup was full-bodied, plump, thick in texture and exceedingly spicy.
The Calabrian quiche is described as "my mother's recipe (so watch what you say)." No warning was necessary since the dish was a wonderfully rich meld of different cheeses and eggs. It was nicely spiced and plugged with pieces of pepperoni. The freshest of broccoli flowers sat on the quiche like a crunchy green crown, and a scoop of ricotta cheese was fenced in by a bell pepper circle.
Our lasagne was a hearty, rich and delicious sculpture fashioned from both semolina and spinach noodles, with alternate layers of cheese and both hot and sweet Italian sausage. It was artfully surrounded with fresh and crunchy vegetables, wrapped with mozzarella cheese and tied with a ribbon of tangy tomato sauce.
Our chicken dish, also rich and filling, was good breast meat stuffed with good quality prosciutto and cheese, and covered with melted provolone over mushrooms. All rested on a short and fine Italian-grown rice.
The salads were sparsely coated with a delicious dressing that had as its base a superb olive oil. In fact, all during the meal, there was never any question that everything served was built with the finest ingredients.
Dessert was several cups of excellent freshly ground espresso and a delicious ricotta cheesecake that was spiked with orange rind---a not-too-rich finale to a super-rich dining experience that was punctuated by excellent service.
Suggestion: It might be a good idea to call for reservations.
Labels: Caffé sud