By Bill Parry
With the start of the World Cup Finals set to begin in less than two weeks in Brazil, one Corona restaurant is set to capitalize on the fervor sure to sweep the overwhelmingly Hispanic neighborhood.
Fans of Mexico and eight other nations from South and Central America will find a haven at Cucino a Modo Mio, a Calabrian Italian restaurant, at 51-01 108th St.
Owner Gregorio Gigliotti has transformed an outdoor beer garden into the “Cucino Piazza” with a dozen tables, a bar and a big-screen TV that will show all of the matches during the tournament, not just his beloved Azzurri, the Italian national squad.
“Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico — we’ll have them all,” Gigliotti said. “And don’t forget Argentina and the host Brazil, they’re are powerhouses.”
Cucino a Modo Mio is one block from the soccer fields of Flushing Meadow Corona Park.
“They’ll play their matches in the morning and be here in time for kick-off every day to enjoy a good meal. Everything is custom-made food from Calabria,” Gigliotti said. “We make our own bread, we make our own wine, 5,000 liters a year, both Merlot and Cabernet Savignon, even our ricotta is from the sheep in Calabria. You can’t get that anywhere but here.”
The other item that Gigliotti offers up is old-world charm.
“We believe greatly in hospitality, we love it, it’s in our blood,” he said. “Everybody that comes here and eats, they always come back. They love my food.”
Gigliotti has watched the Hispanic influence in Corona grow since he opened in 1999, while the numbers of Italians dwindled.
“They all retired and moved away to Florida and North Carolina,” he said. “But they’re all coming back here to watch the World Cup. Each table is already booked for Italy vs. England, They’re all coming back to watch with me.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
