Italian cuisine is not a monolith.
For some of us, the flavors of the old country might come back in the crust of a chicken parmesan, or in the savory overload of a trattoria-style meatball. For others, the concept of Italian cuisine might hinge on more regional offerings, the creamy sauces and heart meat of the North or the seafood-forward flavors of the South.
At Radici Italian Chophouse, the overriding philosophy of the menu and the expertise of its Italian-born owners, forged in Michelin-starred restaurants, is geared toward letting diners experience Italy as Italians do.
“In the beginning, people were a little afraid, because it isn’t the kind of traditional Italian American food,” said Mattia Bianchi, executive chef and co-owner. “That comparison was a bit of a struggle for us at first, because really we wanted to bring our culture here.”
Caponêt (savoy cabbage roll, Italian sausage , caciocavallo DOP cheese), potato cream, cryspy leeks.
A native of Turin, Bianchi was born into a family of chefs and restaurateurs and honed his craft at the Giuseppina Colombatto School. After a stint in London serving as a sous chef under Chef Massimiliano Musso at Michelin-starred Cà Vittoria, where he met Radici’s other owner, Giandomenico Prestopino, he returned to Italy with his fiancée and now general manager and fellow owner, Camilla Eula. Blending their talents and experience, this Italian trio then brought their talents to the States.
Their shared venture, in the spot formerly occupied by Pour Richard’s in Bluffton, allows them to bring each of their talents to bear.
“We are not what some might think of as traditional Italian cuisine. We’ve maintained those traditional recipes, but we’ve mixed it with our own backgrounds to create our idea of traditional Italian cuisine,” Bianchi said.
That means blending Bianchi’s Piedmont upbringing with Prestopino’s Calabrian roots.
Hazelnut panna cotta, coconut ganache, raspberry gel, chocolate crumble.
“The culture of Italian cuisine is more homemade. I grew up with my parents and grandparents all being fantastic cooks, and we’re trying to elevate what we tasted from the beginning,” Prestopino said. “‘Radici’ means ‘roots’ in English, and that’s what we’re trying to bring to this restaurant. … We are trying to tell our story with the plate.”
That story has gained an appreciative audience across the Lowcountry in Radici’s first year in business, and has even reached the ears of the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce, which granted the restaurant a prestigious Ospitalità Italiana – Ristoranti Italiani nel Mondo certification.
Pork chop, nduja sauce, balsamic IGP glaze, corn ribs.
Granted to just 200 restaurants across the country (with Radici being the only one in South Carolina), this designation serves as a seal of quality for Italian restaurants, recognizing their authenticity as ambassadors of the nation’s culinary heritage.
“This has been something extra for us, because it shows that this isn’t about just us saying we’re authentic,” Bianchi said. “We have a kind of proof that this is authentic. This is real.”
This authenticity roots itself all over the menu. The caponet starter speaks to a very old recipe from the Piedmont region that you generally won’t even find on restaurant menus, as most Italians will make their own at home. The ’Nduja sauce on the Braciola di Maiale and the chili emulsion and the Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino mark both dishes with Calabrian flair.
Pictured from left to right: Mattia Bianchi, Eric Bissonnette, Camilla Eula, Giandomenico Prestopino.
And with every dish in between, a new appreciation is forged for the ever-evolving world of Italian cuisine.
“We are trying to elevate something that is very old and bring it to you, to let you really understand the background of the Italian culture,” Bianchi said. “If you go to Italy, chefs are still experimenting.”
Visit radicibluffton.com to see the full menu.