Apr. 21, 2010 - Issue #757: Face First
Profile
Quality control
Da Capo Caffè makes sure that your order is perfect, every time
"If you walk into a café and you hear lots of noise and lots of bubbling, that's your cue to turn around and walk right out," laughs Antonio Bilotta, owner of Da Capo. "Bubbling results in foam, and you don't want foam. You want a thick, velvety, bubble-less froth. It makes a huge difference in your drink."
Da Capo is known for its great coffee, and for its very particular preparation of that coffee. Bilotta uses a fair-trade, organic Arabica blend exclusive to Da Capo, one he describes as having "a very rich, chocolaty profile." The beans are ground as they need them, and all the drinks are "the proper temperature," not piping hot like at some of the other coffee establishments around town. At Da Capo, he explains, "We make it so you can drink it right away."
Cups are a certain size and shape, and the milk is whole. Skim milk is not an option. "You can never achieve the same consistency and denseness with skim milk—you have to use whole. We do have soy and almond milk for people with allergies, though."
And then there's the brewing technique itself. Bilotta trains prospective baristas in his own home first. Once the baristas move to Da Capo, they make coffee exclusively for Bilotta. Only when he's satisfied can they graduate to serving customers. Even then, they only serve regular customers at first. "The regulars all know the barista is new. If their coffee isn't right, they'll ask to have another one made."
Although Da Capo is known for its coffee, Bilotta stresses that the café is much more than that. "We have food for breakfast, lunch or dinner—really great food. A lot of people don't know that. Instead of coming to Da Capo after dinner for coffee, why not just come in for dinner?"
Since Da Capo is modelled after a traditional Italian café—"I wanted to give people the opportunity to eat and drink in Italy without having to leave Edmonton," comments Bilotta—it shouldn't come as a surprise that the food itself is traditional Italian. For breakfast, that means cappuccino and a cornetti (Italian croissant), or perhaps a pastry like the ricotta-filled cannoli. "In Italy, that's what breakfast is. They don't do bacon and eggs, and they definitely don't worry about healthy."
For lunch, dinner and in-between, you'll find antipasti, soup, salads, paninis and, of course, traditional, artisan, thin-crust pizzas. Bilotta has been in the kitchen for the last year, creating and tweaking the menu, and he's added 14 pizzas in the last two months alone. "Pizza Bianca is our most interesting pizza. It's a combination of thinly sliced potato, fresh mozza, sopressatta (a spicy salami), gorgonzola and fresh rosemary, all topped with a drizzle of olive oil."
Da Capo's pizzas are like the ones you'll find in Italy. The main ingredient is the crust, and the toppings—including cheese—are applied moderately. Bilotta has put a lot of time and effort into creating that all-important crust. It's made in-house and has evolved over time and through a lot of experimenting. "When I got a pat on the back from my dad and my uncle, I knew I had it right."
That's not to say shortcuts are taken with the other ingredients, though. "We want to make everything the best. To be the best, you have to use the best ingredients. I won't compromise quality to make an extra four cents." Fresh mozza is always used, not the block-style bricks Bilotta likens to processed cheese. And every pizza is finished with a sprinkling of sea salt and a drizzle of top-quality olive oil.
Aside from the pizzas, there's the premium gelato that Bilotta makes at least twice a week—and that's just during the winter. Then there are the muffins and biscotti that his mom makes from recipes he grew up on. And the in-house-made bread. And the 50 different types of European beers. And the eight different red wines by the glass.
Bilotta says you won't find any muffins in Italy, but customers wanted muffins and so there are muffins, too. The same goes for bacon and eggs; it's definitely not part of the Italian breakfast scene, but Canadians adore it.
Da Capo is a little slice of Italy in our very own city, a "lifestyle" café that emphasizes the importance of food and conversation. It has evolved to include touches of Edmonton, though. "When we first opened, we were kind of like the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. Everything was our way. Now we're more flexible. We explain and offer suggestions, but ultimately we give the customers what they want." V
Antonio Bilotta
Da Capo Caffè
8738 - 109 St, 780.433.5382
RECIPE
Insalata di tonno Siciliano
(from Antonio Bilotta, Da Capo Caffè)
Insalata di tonno Siciliano is a beautiful Sicilian salad offering a well-balanced and filling meal.
Salad:
Mesclun greens
1 artichoke heart
3 grape tomatoes, quartered
15 g of red onions
50 g of Italian tuna preserved in olive oil
3 tbsp of drained, sweetened canned corn
1 large ball of fior di latte, torn into smaller pieces
Vinaigrette:
2 parts extra virgin olive oil
1 part white balsamic vinegar
1 part lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss well and buon appetito!
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