Residents of Collier Hills and Brookwood Hills may have noticed that big truck with the ravioli painted on the side stopping in the 'hood every Thursday. Elisa Gambino, owner of the Via Elisa, brings her fresh pastas, stuffed ravioli, cannoli and sauces to the two Buckhead neighborhoods each week and sells them right from the truck. For many of her buyers, it's easier than fighting the construction congestion to get to her tiny shop at 1750-C Howell Mill Road.
"I'm kind of like the Good Humor man for pasta," said Gambino, who lives in Collier Hills. "My husband says all we need is a loudspeaker playing the 'Godfather' theme."
Some of her truck customers order online and have Gambino bring their selections. They save gas and money: Purchases by the pound from the pasta truck are 10 percent off the store price.
"I do get quite a crowd," she said. "I see some people every week who depend on the truck to bring their Thursday dinner."
Business from the truck has been so good that Gambino is considering adding two more neighborhoods for a Tuesday night run. "I'd do it because the best way to build a company is to reach into the community," she said. "I don't want to be faceless. And people here really appreciate good food."
The pasta truck stops from 5 to 5:45 p.m. Thursday at 1945 Colland Drive and then goes to Brighton Road, east of Peachtree, from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Product and price information are online at www.viaelisa.com; 404-605-0668.
• Is your dad a food lover and an opera fan? Two Father's Day events feature fine food and music in his honor. Sunday, the City Grill, 50 Hurt Plaza, hosts an evening of opera with singers from the Harrower Opera Workshop at Georgia State School of Music. A three-course dinner with a glass of wine starts at 7 p.m. and includes singers performing arias throughout the meal. Tickets are $100 and must be purchased through Georgia State, 404-413-5900.
Table 1280 restaurant, 1280 Peachtree St., has joined forces with the Capitol City Opera Company to stage "Fathers of Opera," an evening of food and arias, Wednesday. It begins with a cash bar cocktail reception, followed by a three-course dinner with two glasses of wine and three sets of opera performances that celebrate fatherhood. Reservations are $88 per person; 404-897-1280; www.table1280.com.
• Craft beers are the stars of the dinner table Tuesday at Lit Kitchen, which hosts private, hands-on culinary events at 433C Bishop St. Sit down to beef brisket in a white wine barbecue sauce, grilled veggie antipasto and roasted chicken, each paired with a Dogfish beer. Experts will explain the brewing process and how to match their beers with a variety of foods. Reservations are $45; 404-249-4300; www.litkitchen.com.
Keep Table Talk lively! Send comments and questions to hm_cauley@yahoo.com or call 404-514-6162.
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