FIRST LOOK DINING
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
ITALIAN EATS, TEXAS TWIST Tuscano Italian Kitchen replaced the former Gino’s Italian Cuisine after owner Jay Roush purchased the restaurant in July and rebranded it in December. The lunch and dinner spot aims to use quality ingredients to make a variety of Italian classics with a Southern spin.
Fettuccini Laredo: Jalapeno- and lime-infused Alfredo sauce with grilled chicken, garnished with cilantro and diced red pepper ($18) Chicken fried steak Parmigiana: Fried steak topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella and served with a side of pasta ($20) Tuscano signature pizza: Braised brisket, cheddar cheese, jalapeno, onions and chipotle barbecue sauce ($17-$25) Italian enchiladas: Choice of grilled chicken or Italian sausage and chorizo nestled in a lasagna noodle, served in a creamy chipotle sauce and topped with mozzarella and tomato basil pico ($16)
Tuscano Italian Kitchen owner Jay Roush stirs sauce in the kitchen.
The cowboy meatballs are topped with chipotle barbecue sauce.
Jay Roush bought Gino’s Italian Cuisine, rebranding it as Tuscano Italian Kitchen.
The brisket bolognese includes brisket slow braised in Chianti and marinara.
The restaurant’s bruschetta is made with bread baked in-house.
PHOTOS BY GRANT CRAWFORDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Tuscano Italian Kitchen Restaurateur revamps Cedar Park spot, bringing Texas twist to Italian dining F ormerly Gino’s Italian Cuisine, a Cedar Park restaurant has a new owner, menu and name—
that I like the most is walking around the restaurant and seeing the people who have been here for a long time come in and say, ‘Wow.’” Roush also rened the menu with a focus on upscale Italian cuisine with a Texas twist. Patrons will nd items such as the brisket bolognese, a traditional meat sauce with brisket slow braised in Chianti and marina sauce topped with shaved parmigiana tossed with fettuccini; or the “cowboy meatballs,” made with jalapenos, cheddar cheese and chipotle barbecue sauce. “We want to have things that are completely unique that you just can’t get anywhere else,” Roush said. “We’re an Italian restaurant, and we always will be, ... but to have these
little things that play on the food we eat as Texans is kind of a cool deal.” When he took over the restaurant, Roush also wanted to add gluten-free options, dierent salad choices and more protein-forward dishes. The zoodles—zucchini noodles—have become a popular choice when choosing a pasta. Roush hopes the ingredients he has brought into the kitchen will continue to bring locals to Tuscano. “I want stu that tastes the best—that is going to present well on the plate, and it’s going to make people want to come back here,” he said. “Things don’t come in a bag from a corporate kitchen somewhere. We’re making them all here, from bread on up.”
Tuscano Italian Kitchen 1525 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park 512-996-8990 www.tuscanoitalian.com Hours: Tue.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5-9:30 p.m.; Sat. noon-9:30 p.m.; Sun. 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; closed Mon.
Tuscano Italian Kitchen. Owner Jay Roush is not new to the Cedar Park restaurant scene. In 2014, he purchased Moonies Burger House, where he oversaw renovations and reworked the menu. When Gino’s was up for sale, he saw an opportu- nity to do the same with it. Ocially rebranded as Tuscano Italian Kitchen on Dec. 1, the restaurant’s appearance inside and out has changed, as has the food. The walls have been renished; a private dining room has opened; and the bar has taken on a new look. “It’s a much dierent place than it was,” Roush said. “The part of the job
E L
N
35
CEDAR PARK LEANDER EDITION • JANUARY 2023
Powered by FlippingBook