Chris Bianco Changes Up the Kitchen at Italian Restaurant, But Is That Enough?

Yo Maya, I mean Anonymous Farmer, look around again, its not that grand in that place.  Its all smoke and mirrors

while the cat is away, the mice will play

I hada dinner there a few weeks ago. Only table in the entire restaurant and all the servers did was dick around and chat at the bar. The thing that shocked me is that chris did the same thing. No point in enjoying the food when the service staff basically gives the finger to every diner who walks in. No one even say hello or good bye. The service is beyond awful. Its pathetic when baby kays give you worse food but better service. If bianco thinks he can survive on his name alone and give awful service, he's in for a huge surprise.

Yo Bianco... go back to England.  They know less then Phoenix, maybe you can be a star there.  Reinvent fish and chips!

It's encouraging to see someone with Nikki's food-journalistic chops chewing on some content for this site.

"Clearly, Bianco respects his bro's mad skills"

What frat boy wrote this?

I stopped reading after that.

. . . and please, bring back the 'old' tomato, mozzarella and basil sandwich at Pane. Whatever has been served there over the past couple of years has been entirely different in taste and texture (although looking the same). I used to get one of those a couple of times per month - despite not working or living in the area. No more.

Claudio is a talented cook.  No question about it.  People get turned off by his perpetual scowl and thick accent, but he has chops.  The service at Italian Restaurant was horrific.  Insulting at every level.  The bottom line is that someone has to be accountable, and that someone should be  Bianco.  Pizzeria Bianco may have a four hour wait but the room at Italian Restaurant is mostly empty, save the tables Bianco has reserved for "his guests."  Clean house in the front and start over, Mr. Bianco.  Someone let Claudio do what he does best, and someone tell Mr. Bianco that success at Pizzeria and Pane don't grant him automatic success at his "humble" little trattoria.

Been a big fan of Pizzeria, Bar, and Pane for years, so I went into Italian Restaurant without the chip on my shoulder that some people seem to have about the sometimes too-cool-for-school atmosphere, service and selection.  After two visits where I was generally ignored by the staff and surprised at the cost for what I received, I'm left with that chip. Here's hoping it gets back on track to being the neighborhood, simple yet delicious spot that was contemplated at the outset.  

The Bianco kingdom is falling.  How is it a guy gets all these accolades, from various publications in Phoenix and across the US for the best pizza in the US, and the pizza they are talking about has changed.  Before you write about how great the pizza is, or take articles and copy and paste them together to get a new and improved view on how great Bianco's pizzas are, go there, wait in the "line" and taste it!  He has changed all the products he uses to make his famous pizzas.  How is it still the best!?  Its not the same; not the same people making it, or same ingredients, its totally different.  Yes, one thing has remained the same, over cooked for the most part and round!  

Urciuoli, open your eyes!  You don't want to call this guy your brother, look at how he treats his own bro.  Like a mushroom, kept in the dark all the time.