THE EATBEAT: Giuseppe’s charm lies in its ambience

It’s small, with seating for only 40. It doesn’t try to be all things to all people.

And that is the charm about Giuseppe’s Italian Ristorante on DeMers Ave. in downtown Grand Forks. I have eaten there occasionally over the years and enjoyed an early dinner on a recent Saturday evening.

First off, the breads served with appetizers and salad are fresh with crisp crusts. They are baked everyday by Chris Schultz, chef and manager. Service by Alyssa Fuggazi, a longtime employee, was first rate. She knows her business.

I ordered seafood linguini that came with sautéed shrimp and mussels served with linguini in a creamy tomato sauce. My friend ordered chicken parmesan and commented on the tenderness of the chicken. The pasta was perfect.

Another friend, Teri LaLonde, sitting nearby also was enjoying the balsamic chicken. We talked about the serving size so large you almost need to take some home for a second meal the next day. She also enjoys the appetizers of artichoke dip as well as zucchini fries.

We agreed on the ambience — the fact that this small restaurant has large windows and says “thank you” with a basket where customers can help themselves to a finishing touch of chocolate on the way out.

The restaurant is located in a building long time residents remember as the offices of the E.J. Lander Co. Since they purchased the restaurant a couple months ago, Nicole and Jeff Tellmann have redone the facility with black table clothes and flickering candles.

They have retained the employees who were there when they bought the business from Joey Miranda recently. Miranda was part of the New York family who opened the restaurant. It originally was Mamma Maria’s on South Washington Street. Miranda has moved back to the New York area where Italian family members are in the restaurant business.

The Tellmanns, who operate two Red Pepper restaurants in Grand Forks, are in the process of opening a Red Pepper in the Happy Harry’s shopping area near the Fargo Dome.

Nicole Tellmann said they wanted to keep Giuseppe’s running in downtown Grand Forks. They consider this is the area for fine dining with chefs at work and a contrast to chain restaurants on the edge of the city.

Giuseppe’s Italian Ristorante

414 DeMers Ave.

Reservations: (701) 757-1020

Owners: Jeff and Nicole Tellmann

Chef-manager: Chris Schultz

Hours: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays

Seating: 40

Report card: Giuseppe’s is a small café with a strictly Italian menu. It gets high ratings for the cozy, candlelight ambience and breads baked daily on the premises. Dinners range from $11 to $19 excluding wine.

Tags: marilyn hagerty, grand forks, gf and egf, updates, accent, columns, eatbeat, food