Daniel Bellino and The Greenwich Village Newport Steak

NEWPORT STEAKS

FLORENCE MEAT MARKET

GREENWICH VILLAGE NEW YORK

Daniel Bellino Zwicke & “GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAKS

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, a well-known New York City cookbook author and Italian-American food writer, is one of the most passionate culinary champions of the Greenwich Village Newport Steak. Through his books (like Sunday Sauce) and his blog, Greenwich Village Italian, he has heavily documented the history, culture, and preparation of this hyper-local steak. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

What is a Newport Steak?

The Cut: It is a small, tender steak cut from the tri-tip (the bottom sirloin) of the cow. [1, 2]
The Origins: It was invented in 1947 by Jack Ubaldi, an Italian immigrant and the original owner of the legendary Florence Prime Meat Market at 5 Jones Street in Greenwich Village. [1, 2]
The Name: Ubaldi wanted a catchy name to help sell this lesser-known, affordable cut to local neighborhood artists and bohemian residents. He named it the “Newport” because the curved shape of the cut resembled the Nike-like half-moon logo on a pack of Newport cigarettes. [1, 2]
Alternative Names: While known strictly as a “Newport Steak” in New York’s historic Italian butcher shops, the broader tri-tip cut is called a Santa Maria steak on the West Coast. [1, 2]

The Daniel Bellino Connection

Bellino-Zwicke treats the Newport Steak as a culinary symbol of a bygone Greenwich Village era. He frequently shares recipes that involve pan-searing the steaks to medium-rare in a hot skillet with butter, olive oil, and mushrooms, often pairing the meal with Italian wines like Barolo or Brunello. [1, 2, 3]

He historically sourced his meats from Florence Prime Meat Market and also highly recommends Pino’s Prime Meat Market on Sullivan Street, another landmark neighborhood institution that masterfully cuts and trims the Newport.

Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CIPRIANI DOWNTOWN

NEW YORK CITY

SUNDAY SAUCE

AMERICA’S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK

AMAZON.com

The GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAK

The Perfect Newport Steak? What? I make it. Not everyone can. Number 1, you have to start with a Great Steak, a Newport Steak. A Steak not known to many. Well if you’re fortunate to live in New York’s Greenwich Village, you might know about them. Then again, you might not, cause just because you live in The Village, doesn’t mean you know of this little thing of wonder, The Newport Steak. The Newport Steak is a thing of wonder, especially if you love Steak but don’t want to shell out about $19.00 a piece or more to get one. That’s uncooked from the butcher, a nice Prime Sirloin Steak that is. Now a Newport Steak on the other hand will cost you about $7.50 on the average, or roughly 2 1/2 times less than a Sirloin, and you do not give up on taste or quality. It’s just as good. Maybe better.

A NEWPORT Ready for the PAN

Screen Shot 2017-04-21 at 2.38.09 PM.png

Cooking My NEWPORT STEAKS

to PERFECTION

A Perfectly Cooked Newport Steak

“THE STEAK of GREENWICH VILLAGE”

Cooked by Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Greenwich Village New York

As The ROLLING STONES

Play in The Background

SWEET !!!!

It is said that The Newport Steak was created by Jack Ubaldi, an Italian immigrant who owned a Butcher Shop in New York’s heavily Italian Greenwich Village some time around 1947. The Newport Steak is actually most commonly known as Tri Tip Steak and comes from the Bottom Sirloin portion of a cow. The Tri Tip is not well known nor much in demand. Well not among the masses, but we “Smart Ones” know better. We always get equal or better quality of anything, but always pay less. Thus the case of a Tri-Tip or if as we call it in New York’s Greenwich Village “The Newport Steak” In California, Californians know it as The Santa Maria Steak.

Anyway, Mr. Ubaldi, wanted to sell this lesser known cut to his customers, but didn’t want to sell it as Tri Tip, he wanted a catchyer name. A name that would help sell this wonderful little steak, that was oh so tasty and cost far less than Sirloin, T-Bone, Porter House or Rib Steaks. He wanted a name that in the name itself would sell the steak. One day jack Ubaldi was looking at a pack of Newport Cigarettes and noticed that the logo of Newports was more or less the same shape of the Tri Tip Steaks that he cut. Right then and there Jack Ubaldi named his cut of Tri Tip

“The Newport Steak” the name caught on and they’ve been selling Newport Steaks at Florence Meat Market on Jones Street in Greenwich Village ever since. They’re are a couple other spots in the area where you can get a Newport Steak. Ottomanelli’s down the block at Bleecker and Joes Streets sells them, as well as Pino’s Prime Meats on Sullivan Street, and is a place where I often pick up a Newport Steak or two, along with ones from the original Florence Meat Market.

Well, I picked up a couple the other night and cooked them for me and a friend. As usual, they came out perfectly. We had a Couple good bottles of wine as well, in a nice bottle of Villa Sesta Chianti and a fine Bordeaux. And if that wasn’t good enough, and don’t you think it should have been? We listened to The Rolling Stones while I cooked those “Tasty Steaks” some Roast Potatoes and Carrots. Those steaks, yes they were Perfect. Not many people can cook a Steak as Good as Me, “No Brag Just Fact.” Yes it’s Fact, I can cook a Steak Better than anyone of ever met or eaten a steak cooked by another, and that includes Steaks I’ve had at Sparks Steak House, Peter Luger and other places renowned for their steaks. If you knew me, you’d know I’m telling the truth. Ask anyone who has ever eaten a Steak that I’ve cook, “They tell you.”

Any way, yes the Steaks were perfect. My mouth is watering now just thinking about them. Dam, I tell you, Those Newport Steaks were “So Dam Good” they were practically “Orgasmic” I kid you not. Ask my Pal Chris, or my Buddies Raoul or Jimmy S, they’ll tell you. So we had The Perfect Steak, drank Chianti, and listened to The World’s Greatest Rock Band of All-Time “The Rolling Stones.” And yes Boys and Girls, Ladies and Gentlemen, “Sometimes Life Can Be Blissful.” Yes It Can.

The Newport Steak

Is Cut From Tri-Tip Bottom Sirloin

A Couple Nice Newport Steaks

All Ready to Cook Up

IS THE NEWPORT STEAK GREENWICH VILLAGE’S OWN ?

Is that little thing of Beauty The Newport Steak Greenwich Villages Own? Yes Boys and Girls it is! I don’t know if anyone has ever coined it that. I do know that those of us in Greenwich Village and New Yorkers in other parts of the city know about it and that it is of Greenwich Village. And you see, just because you live in Greenwich Village doesn’t mean that you automatically know about it, not everyone does. We are few and small a group. An elite group who know of the wonders of our beloved Steak of Greenwich Village and Italian Greenwich Village at that.

Our beloved Newport Steak, those few of us who know about it, is a Greenwich Village Original created by an Italian Immigrant Butcher jack Ubaldi who created the now famous Newport Steak in the late 1940s when he had the idea of cutting the relatively unknown and inexpensive cut of beef known as the Bottom Sirloin in a different way and cut off a couple of Steaks from this piece of meat that was most often used as a roast in a larger piece or ground for Hamburgers, Meatloaf, or Meatballs. Today this cut of meat is normally known as Tri-Tip or Santa Maria Steak of Central California where it is grilled or roasted whole in one piece then sliced when serving. In France this cut is known as a Culotte which is popular in the Bistros of Paris and all over France.

So back to Jack Ubaldi who back in the 1940’s invented what is now known to those “In The Know” as a Newport Steak. Jack cut the a piece from the Bottom Sirloin that was about 1 1/2″ thick and had the shape of a Boomerang. When he saw a Newport Cigarette ad and noticed that his special cut of Steak looked like the Boomerang Logo of the Newport Cigarettes. Right then and there in his butcher shop on Jones Street in Greenwich Village, Jack named his special cut the Newport Steak. The rest is Culinary and Greenwich Village History, and Italian Greenwich Village History at that, as at that time Greenwich Village was heavily populated by Italians. The Village was filled with Bread Bakers like Zito’s(now defunct) around the block on Bleeeker Street, Zapieri’s, and Vesuvio as well as a host of other Bakeries, Italian Restaurants and Caffes like Caffe reggio and Caffe Dante, along with another fine Italian Butcher Shop in Pino’s Prime Meats on Sullivan Street, in business since 1904. Raffetto’s Pasta in Greenwich Village and Porto Rico Coffee are all over 100 Year Old Italian-American businesses as well.

So the Newport Steak. Created by Jack Obaldi, is cut from the Bottom Sirloin are about 1 1/2 inches thick, weigh about 14 ounces and cost about $7.50 a piece and are well worth it. Heck they’re a bargain compared to a Prime Sirloin which are about triple the price of a Newport. And the Newport is every bit as good as a regular New York Cut Sirloin. No quality loss what so ever. In fact, after getting on to Newport’s I prefer them to a Sirloin, as do the others in the know on the Newport.

WHERE To GET A NEWPORT STEAK

FLorence Meat Market “They Invented It” !!! … Jones Street, Greenwich Village, New York

Pino’s Prime Meats …. Sullivan Street, New York, NY

Ottomanelli’s Meat market …. Corner of Bleecker and Jones Streets, down the block from Florence … Greenwich Village, New York

PINO’S PRIME MEATS

ITALIAN BUTCHER SHOP

GREENWICH VILLAGE

Pictures of Al Pacino in The GODFATHER

and Cast of The Soprano’s

in Window at Pino’s

Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

CIPRIANI DOWNTOWN

NEW YORK CITY

FLORENCE MEAT MARKET

INVENTOR of THE NEWPORT STEAK

Copyright Daniel Zwicke

GREENWICH VILLAGE, NEW YORK

HOW to COOK The PERFECT STEAK

RECIPE in GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

AMAZON.com

For Great Recipe and Instructions

On Cooking The Perfect Steak

THE BADASS COOKBOOK

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COOK IT !!!

The BADASS COOKBOOK

AMERICA’S FAVORITE DISHES

And SECRET RECIPES

AMAZON.com

Sinatra Bellino and Pacino

“SINATRA BELLINO & PACINO”

Daniel BellinoZ, Frank Sinatra & Al Pacino

SINATRA BELLINO & PACINO

“Sinatra Bellino & Pacino” is a famous cultural and culinary trio championed by New York Italian cookbook author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke. His work and cookbooks celebrate iconic Italian-Americans and the legendary New York City restaurants where icons like Frank Sinatra and Al Pacino frequented or loved the food. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The trio connects in a few specific ways through Bellino’s culinary writing:

Sinatra Sauce & The Godfather: Bellino’s writings (including The Sinatra Sauce Cookbook and Sunday Sauce) draw deep ties between Frank Sinatra’s love for Italian-American food and Al Pacino’s most iconic on-screen meals. [1, 2, 3]

The Clemenza Method: The “Sunday Sauce” (or Sunday Gravy) recipes are heavily inspired by Peter Clemenza’s famous line in The Godfather teaching Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) how to make a classic red sauce. [1, 2, 3]

Greenwich Village Institutions: Bellino’s books explore the favorite stomping grounds of Pacino and Sinatra, highlighting historic New York Italian locations. [1, 2, 3]

You can find the specific recipes, histories, and connections shared in this trio of Italian-American culture through Bellino-Zwicke’s book collection on Amazon.

Secret Italian Pasta Sauce Recipe in Segreto Italiano by Daniel Bellino

SEGRETO ITALIANO

SECRET RECIPES

And FAVORITE ITALIAN DISHES

AMAZON.com

SEGRET O ITALIANO

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Segreto Italiano: Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes is a popular cookbook written by bestselling Italian-American author Daniel Bellino Zwicke. [1]

Originally published in 2014, the book focuses heavily on beloved recipes from Napoli, Positano, the Amalfi Coast, and traditional Italian-American kitchens. One of its most famous highlighted dishes is “Pasta Segreto” (Pasta with Secret Sauce), outselling Italian-Americanriginally made famous at Gino’s restaurant in New York City. [1, 2, 3]

Where to Access and Buy

E-Book / Digital: You can read it via a subscription or purchase it digitally on the Kindle Store.
Paperback: Physical copies are widely available on Amazon

Danny Bolognese makes America’s Best Ragu Bolognese

“DANNY BOLOGNESE”

aka Daniel Bellino Zwicke

DANNY BOLOGNESE

Dnny Bolognese is a Professional “Pen Nam” of Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, a Bestselling Italian-American cookbook author, Wine Professional, and former Chef. Based in New York’s Greenwich Village, he is a recognized authority on Italian cuisine and wine with over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry.

Culinary Career and Contributions

Professional Pedigree: He has worked as a chef and wine director at renowned NYC restaurants, including Da Silvano, Del Posto, Barbetta, and John’s of 12th Street.
Venetian Wine Bar: In 1997, he founded Bar Cichetti, which is credited as America’s first-ever Venetian wine bar (Bacaro).
Signature Recipe: He is most famous for his “Secret” Ragu Bolognese recipe, which he was taught in 1987 by Chef Pasquale at Ciao Bella in New York.
PUBLISHED WORKS
Under both his legal name and the moniker “Danny Bolognese,” he has authored several popular titles focusing on Italian-American food and culture:

The Ragu Bolognese Cookbook: The Secret Recipe and More: A condensed guide featuring his most essential Italian recipes.

Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook: A long-running #1 best-seller on Amazon.com for Italian cookbooks that combines family recipes with cultural storytelling.
Other Titles: The Feast of the 7 Fish – Italian Christmas, Segreto Italiano (Secret Italian Recipes), and the humorous The Big Lebowski Cookbook.
Daniel also maintains several culinary blogs, including Greenwich Village Italian and New York Italian, where he shares recipes, restaurant history, and stories about Italian icons like Frank Sinatra.

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

aka “DANNY BOLOGNESE”

BOOKS by DANNY BOLOGNESE

AMAZON.com

The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

DANNY BOLOGNESE

AMAZON.com

Sunday Sauce – Book by Daniel Bellino Zwicke – Pasta Meatballs & ???

SUNDAY SAUCE

AMERICA’S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

AMAZON.com

SUNDAY SAUCE

Book by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook is a cookbook by Daniel Bellino Zwicke that celebrates Italian-Americanfood and culture, focusing on traditional slow-cooked tomato sauce (also called “gravy”) and other classic Italian dishes. Published in 2013, the book blends authentic family recipes with cultural stories, including famous movie-inspired sauces from The Godfather (Clemenza’s sauce) and Goodfellas, as well as recipes from figures like Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio’s mother. It’s available through major online retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Key aspects of the book:

Genre:

Cookbook and biography, blending recipes with cultural narrative.

Content:

Features traditional Italian-American recipes like spaghetti and meatballs, sausage and peppers, and pasta fazool, with a special focus on the Sunday sauce / gravy.
Cultural Significance:

Explores the tradition of “Sunday Sauce,” a rich, meat-based tomato sauce simmered for hours, and the cultural debate over calling it “gravy”.

Movie Tie-ins:

Includes recipes for iconic sauces from films like The Godfather and Goodfellas, as well as recipes from celebrities like Frank Sinatra.

Author:

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, a chef with extensive experience in New York restaurants.

Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Ginos Secret Sauce Pasta – New York Italian Red Sauce

A Waiter at GINO’S

“You’ve got to get Pasta Segrete”

Segreto?
It’s secret
in Italian. I got the idea for the book one day, well not the idea, but
inspiration I’d say. I was thinking about one of our all time favorites
restaurant, the food, the ambiance and all the fun we’d had there over the
years. Many wonderful meals with family and friend, no foes. Dinners with
Cousin Joe, Sister Barbara, Brother Michael, and Jimmy. Oh, the food was
wonderful, all the great Italian Classics of good old Italian-American Red
Sauce Joints of which this one, was one of the best. The classics, like: Baked
Clams, Stuffed Artichokes, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Linguine with Clam Sauce,
Chicken Parmigiano, Veal Marsala & Milanese, Chicken Cacctiatore, Ossobuco,
Cannolis, Spumoni, and-on-and-on. I think you get the picture. Lots of good,
affordable Italian Wine, the affable waiter, the phone booth, and the Zebra
Wall Paper. If you were a regular their, from the last sentence, you the place
I’m talking about. Yes Gino’s! Our beloved Gino’s of Lexington Avenue. Sadly
they closed a few years ago. But we still have the memories of so many festive
meals. Happy times, good eats.

I discovered the wonders of Gino’s and first
brought my cousin Joe there in 1999. The place was thrilling in that, when you
walked in, you felt you were in the perfect place. Gino’s is charged with
energy by its wonderful clientele, well-healed regulars who have been going
there for years, they know the Maitre’d, the waiters and other customers, and
likewise the waiters, bartender, and maitre’d know them. The first time you walk
in, you feel that, and want to be a part of it. We did. Back then, Joe and I
used to go out to eat together all the time, at least once a week. Joe knew
about food, but not to the extent that I did. Joe would come in every week or
so, and his driver would drive us around town. He’d pick me up early evening
for a night of feasting and good times. We’d often eat at a couple different
place. We’d have our main dinner and maybe a little bite to eat when we first
went for cocktails to start the night off. As I said, Joe loved eating, and
knew quite a bit, but as much as he knew, it wasn’t a third of what I knew
about food, wine, and restaurants, and especially the restaurant, bar, and
night club scene in New York. I was teaching Joe the ropes, so-to-speak, and Joe
was an eager student. We had quite a lot of fun those few years, with dinners
at Gino’s, Elio’s (Mondays for Lasagna), Da Silvanos’s, Bar Pitti, The Waverly
Inn, Minetta Tavern, cocktails at Pegu and Temple Bar, and way too many other
places to name right here. We did New York, we did it all!

Back to Gino’s. So I had passed by Gino’s any
number of times, but never went in to check it out. I was a downtown-er, and
that’s where we did most of our eating, with an occasional trip midtown or
other local if a place peaked our interest. So I did finally walk into Gino’s
one day. I had to check it out. When I did, as I’ve already said, I walked in
the door and immediately felt the energy of the place. Gino’s was packed, full
of life and vibrant, and I knew I wanted to be there. I didn’t eat there right
then and there, I was scouting the place out, but I knew I would be back. So I
called Joe up and told him all about the place. It sounded great to Joe, this
type of place was right up his alley, as it was mine. So Joe said yes, let’s
check it out on our next night out.

Our first ever trip to Gino’s was a few
nights later. Joe packed me up at my place in Greenwich Village. I got in the
car, as usual, we had a little discussion on what we’d be doing. We mapped out the
night of eating and drinking, good times. We talked and decided to head over to
Otto Enoteca for a bottle of wine and some Salumi before heading up town to
Gino’s and our main dinner of the night. Joe loved Otto, and I was a fan too,
so we headed to Otto.

Well, we went to Otto, drank a little wine,
had some Testa, Mortadella, and Prosciutto, and it was on to Gino’s. Back in
the car, and Ziggy (our driver) drove us up to Lexington Avenue, across the
street from Bloomingdale’s to Gino’s. We were excited as we walked up to the
restaurant and through the door. The place was packed and super-charged. We
loved it. The Maitre’d greeted us with the first of many warm welcomes. We were
in like Flynn. We sat down at a nice table in the middle of the restaurant. We
were happy campers. As happy as can be, for we sensed a wonderful meal ahead.
Our hunch would turn out to be just right. A waiter came to our table, greeted
us a warm welcome, gave us a wine list and menus, and asked what type of water
we wanted. As always, we got a bottle of flat water. Joe gave me the wine list
as he usually does and told me to pick something out. I looked over the
reasonably priced list and picked out a tried and true wine from my good friend
Luigi Capellini in Greve. The wine, a bottle of Verrazzano Chianti Classico.
The waiter went to get the wine, and Joe and I looked over the menu. We were
happy to see a great old school Italian menu. The Red Sauce kind of a good old
classic Italian-American joint, of which there used to be many, but at this
point of time, far fewer. They had; Shrimp Cocktail, Baked Clams, Hot
Antipasto, Clams Posillipo, Spaghetti Vongole, Lasagna, Canneloni, Veal Parm,
Veal Milanese, Eggplant Parmigiano, Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Veal Marsala, Scampi,
and all the usual suspects. We were in heaven, and it was heard narrowing down
what to eat.

One dish really caught our attention, and
especially Joe, who although I love my pasta, Joe had has me beat, he’s the
pasta freak. Freak in a good
way that is. The dish was Pasta Segreto (Pasta w/Secret Sauce), and us
intrigued.

The waiter brought the bottle of Chianti,
opened it, and we were on our way. I ripped off a piece of bread and ate it.
So, we decided on the menu. We order a Shrimp Cocktail and Baked Clams
Oreganata to start. We would share these two antipasto items, then move on to
the Primi, the pasta course. We decided on, and just had to have the Pasta
Segrete, a half order each. We both love Veal Milanese (Frank Sinatra’s
favorite), and as we were having antipasto, and pasta, as well as a couple
desserts, we decided on one Veal Milanese to split for the main course, thus
leaving room for some tasty desserts we knew Gino’s would have. We talked with
the our waiter about the menu, and he agreed that we had chosen wisely, and
that one Milanese would be fine, so we could eat dessert and he’d help us pick
the two best later.

So we drank wine, and nibble on the bread,
chatted and waited in anticipation for the antipasto to arrive. I love Shrimp
Cocktail since childhood and don’t always eat it all that much these days, so
it’s always a special treat. The Baked Clams and the Shrimp Cocktail came and
were a great way to start the meal. The wine was great. Hey it’s Castello
Verrazzano!

So now, we were really excited. This
mysterious Pasta Segreto was about to come out. You can get the Secret Sauce with whatever Pasta you
like, Spaghetti, Raviolis, Tagiolini, Penne, Gnocchi, or Rigatoni. Joe and I
both love Rigatoni, so that’s what we went for, two half portions of Rigatoni
Segrete. Well, the waiter brought us our Pasta with Secret Sauce. Guess what!
It was outrageous, we loved it. Joe went crazy, and could stop talking about
it, and it was just a couple weeks before he’d have to go back and get another “Fix.”
Yes the Pasta with the
Secret Sauce did not disappoint. We loved it, and would be back for many more
bowls.

We finished the Pasta, grudgingly so, as we
didn’t want the experience to end, “It was that good!” We waited a few minutes
for the Veal Milanese. It came out, and we could tell just by looking at it,
that it would be great. For those of you who might not know, Veal Milanese is
one of Italy’s most famous a classic of all dishes. It’s a Veal Chop that’s
pounded thin, breaded with breadcrumbs and fried and tipped with a Salad of
Arugala and Tomato. The dish is simple, simply delicious when done right. Veal
Milanese was one of Frank Sinatra’s all-time favorite dish, along with
Spaghetti Meatballs, and Clams Posillipo. Frank used to get it often at his
favorite of all restaurants, Patsy’s of West 56^th Street, just 10
blocks from Gino’s. Both old-school Italian Joints were among Frank’s
favorites. Patsy’s was Frank’s # 1 favorite, but Gino’s wasn’t far behind, and
Ol’ Blue Eyes ate there many times over the years. Anyway, the Veal Milanese was
just perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, life is good at times like
these.

We finished our Veal Milanese, and it was
now time to think about desserts. I love sweets and so does Joe, so
he said we gotta get two. The waiter told us the Tiramisu was “The Best in
Town,” and the Cheesecake was really wonderful as well, so we went with his
suggestions. Throw in a couple cups of Espresso and some Anisette too, and we
were still in heaven.

Needless to say, our meal was fantastic. We
loved it. We loved Gino’s and would be back for more.

We went back to Gino’s a couple weeks
later. Joe loved the Pate Segrete and kept talking about it. He was back for
more. We loved the menu we had the last time, and pretty much went with the
same again. When we were eating the Segrete Pasta I identified the secret
ingredients. They were butter and Parmigiano, mixed into Gino’s basic tomato
sauce. Just a little butter and the grated Parmigiano does the trick for a
tasty sauce. The recipe is in the book, and don’t worry, we didn’t eat the same
thing every time we went to Gino’s. Over the years, we pretty much had every
dish on the menu, from; the Minestrone and Pasta Fagioli, Manicotti, Lasagna,
Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmigiano, Veal Marsala and all. Specials
too! We ate it all. “And loved every minute of it.” Gino’s, we miss you so! But
great memories linger on.

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

EXCERPTED FROM :

SEGRETO ITALIANO – Secret Italian Recipes and Favorite Dishes

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

RECIPES

GINO’S SECRET PASTA SAUCE

SECRET SALAD DRESSING

CREAMY ITALIAN

CAESER SALAD

LASAGNA

MARINARA SAUCE

JERSEY SHORE CRAB SAUCE

CU.CUZZA

SICILIAN FIG COOKIES

And More ….

SEGRETO ITALIANO Reviews

Steven S. says :

There is something very authentic about this book and the author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke. Entertainingly straight-forward and real, this cookbook has an awesome Italian American vibe throughout from cover to cover. Use this cookbook to create a dining experience that will make spectacular memories of comfort and deliciousness!

Italian and Italian-American cuisine is one of my favorites and it is just a blast trying out these rocking recipes in my own kitchen. These really are some secrets from the masters because they are uniquely wonderful – just created the Eggplant Caponata to the delight of my friends and family!

If you love Italian American food and like to cook and impress your Soprano’s fans, then pick up this book now!

Recipe “GINO’S SECRET SAUCE”

Salsa Segreto

Outside The Old GINO RESTAURANT

Lexington Avenue

NEW YORK , NY

One block north of Bloomingdale’s famous department store. Gino Restaurant, which all the regulars called Gino’s was one of the greatest most beloved Italian Restaurants in the history of New York City. And it’s just that, part of New York City History. Sadly, we lost Gino’s nine years ago, as the restaurant sold its last plate of its famous “Pasta Segreto” in the Winter of 2010. Some of Gino’s many regulars which included the likes of Frank Sinatra were brought to tears the day Gino shut its doors. The restaurant was truly one of those much beloved places that you don’t see every day, and it’s a dam shame we lost her. All of us who ever went there have many cherished memories spent with friends and family at Gino’s. I’m sure if Frank Sinatra was still alive, he’d tell you a few stories himself. Maybe his daughters Tina and Nancy Sinatra who of course are still alive might have some memories of their father, the great Francis Albert Sinatra holding court at Gino’s. Yes we all know that Patsy’s across town from Gino’s was Frank’s favorite Italian Restaurant o f all-time, but Mr. Sinatra loved Gino’s as well, and dined there many times.

Hey Tony Bennett who is till alive, is a fan of Gino’s. Maybe he can tell us some stories. Well, best selling Italian Cookbook author Daniel Bellino Zwicke is alive and doing well, and always writing about Italian Food, restaurants, pizza, pasta, celebrities, and Italy, and he has told us a few stories of great times with friends and family; his Cousin Joe, Brother Michael, and sister Barbara, and his fond memories of eating Baked Clams, Rigatoni Segreto and Veal Milanese, which Daniel says was his typical dinner when he dined at Gino’s with Cousin Joe Macari (Macari Vineyards).

Yes Gino’s was one great restaurant, that saw the likes of Mike Wallace, Gregory Peck, Gay Talese, and Italian Bombshells Sophia Loren and Gina Lollibrigida. The great things about Gino’s was that it was a well-rum machine, and its total mix of wonderful expertly prepared Italian Food, lively ambiance, excellent service, and cool vibrant crowd made for the most perfect mix that was Gino Restaurant. And if that wasn’t enough, the prices of the food and wine was most reasonable. This was just another added plus of this legendary New York restaurant. And the restaurant that Gino’s was, as shall tell you that the type of restaurant it was what we now call Old School Italian Red Sauce Joints. Yes, an old school Italian Red Sauce Joint, and the best old school Italian restaurant that any could ever possibly be. The same as places like John’s of 12th Street, Monte’s Trattoria in Greenwich Village, Rao’s, up in East Harlem, New York. Like any Red Sauce worth its Salt, Gino’s had great Red Sauce of course, with items like, Baked Clams, Spaghetti Meatballs, Manicotti, Lasagna, Veal and Chicken Parm, and Frank Sinatra’s favorites; Clams Posillipo and Veal Milanese.

We morn the passing of Gino Restaurant, as we morn the closing of two other great Old School Italian eateries of DeRoberti’s Italian Pastries and Lanza’s Restaurant, both of which were on 1st Avenue two doors from one-another on the block of 1st Avenue between East 10th and 11th Streets in New York’s East Village, which years ago was simply known as the Lower East Side. Luckily the other famous old Italian Eatery, “John’s of 12th Street” is alive-and-kicking after more than 110 years in business in the old Sicilian neighborhood where Mob Boss Charle’s Lucky” Luciano grew up (born in Lercara Friddi) after his family moved to East 10th Street (# 265) from Sicily.

READ MORE on GINO’S

SINATRA SAUCE

The COOKBOOK

COOK & EAT LIKE FRANK

His FAVORITE ITALIAN RECIPES

AMAZON.com

SINATRA !!! “JUST BECAUSE” !!!

FRANK SINATRA – DINNER at “JILLY’S” NYC

With Daughters TINA & NANCY SINATRA

And FRIENDS

No, it’s Not GINO’S but although FRANK Ate there Many TIMES

and it was one of his All-Time FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANTS

there aren’t any pictures of him there. So we put this in. “It’s a great shot

of Frank holding courts.”

#LuckyLUCIANO PASTA

SICILIAN RECIPES

MORE on SCALAMANDRE

ZEBRA WALLPAPER

GINO’S CELEBRITY CLIENTELE

Frank Sinatra

Rocky Marciano

Jackie Kennedy

Aristotle Onassis

Ed Sullivan

PerryComo

Gay Talese

Tony Bennett

Gregory Peck

Gene Tierney

PELE

David Suskind

Mike Wallace

Dan Rather

Gina Lollibrigida

Sophia Loren

Nicholas Pileggi

Nora Ephron

Ralph Lauren

Mel Ott

Other Facts

GINO RESTAURANT was named after owner Gino Circiello. Gino’s partner was Guy Aventuriero. They were both born in Capri, Italy.

The tow partners Gino and Guy financed their restaurant (Gino’s) with their own money, along with help from Franco Scalamandre who owned the Scalamandre (Wallpaper and Fabrics).

The famous Zebra wallpaper was designed by Flora Scalamandre.

Gino’s most famous dish was Pasta with Salsa Segreto (Secret Sauce)

GINO’S BAR

And ZEBRA WALLPAPER

YELP Review of GINO’S by Author Daniel-Bellino-Zwicke.com

Dinner at GINO’S of CAPRI

NY NY

Gino Circiello is 2nd from Left

Guy Aventuriero far Right

Sinatra Bellino Pacino – Famous Sicilian Americans – Italian

AL PACINO

From The BRONX NEW YORK .. ALis a Famous SICILIAN-AMERICAN

CLICK HERE to See More FAMOUS SICILIAN-AMERICANS

A YOUNG FRANK SINATRA

FAMOUS SICLIAN AMERICANS

FRANK SINATRA

JOE DiMAGGIO

AL PACINO

LOUIS PRIMA

LADY GAGA

MARTIN SCORSESE

FRANK ZAPPA

VINCENT SCHIAVELLI

SONNY BONO

CHRIS CHRISTIE

JON BON JOVI (Bongiovi)

DANIEL BELLINO Z

LIZA MINNELLI

MARIO CUOMO

ANDREW CUOMO

NANCY SINATRA

JOE MONTANA

CHARLES ATLAS

“JOLTIN JOE”

“DiMaggio”

Joe D

The Yankee Clipper

and The Greatest Italian-American

Baseball Player of All-Time

Joe DiMaggio

SICILIAN

SYLVESTER STALLONE

STEVE TYLER (Tallarico)

CHAZ PALMINTERI

STEVE BUSCEMI

JOHN TURTURRO

FRANK VINCENT

FRANK CAPRA

Richard Castellano (Clemenza)

Charles “LUCKY” Lucciano

BEN GAZZARA

JOE MANTEGNA

SAL MINEO

MARIO PUZO

Britney Spears “Beleive It or Not”

TONY DANZA

Mike PiazzPatti Lupone

Author Daniel Bellino “Z”

“ROCKY”

“SLY”

SYLVESTER STALLONE

aka ROCKY

Sylvester grew up in Hell’s Kitchen

on the West Side of New York City , NY

AL PACINO

BRONX, NEW YORK

Richard Castellano

NEW JERSEY

as “CLEMENZA”

The GODFATHER

SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian-Americans Cook

RECIPE SUNDAY SAUCE alla SINATRA

AMAZON.com

MARTIN SCORSESE

Family from POLIZZI GENEROSA , SICILY

Marty grew up on Elizabeth Street

LITTLE ITALY

NEW YORK

Frank Vincent

as SALVI in Martin Scorsese’s RAGING BULL

Frank Vincent grew up around Newark, New Jersey,

along with his childhood friend Joe Pesci

SINATRA

Franks Sinatra’s Father Antonio Martino Severio Sinatra

was Born in LERCARA FRIDDI Sicily

he Immigrated to New York and Hoboken, NJ

LIZA MINNELLI

Liza Minnelli’s father was Famed Director VINCENT MINELLI

who married JUDY GARLAND (Liza’s Mother).

Vincent Minnelli was the

Vincent Minelli’s Paternal Grandfather

was VINCENZO MINNELLI of Palermo, Sicily

who was a SICILIAN REVOLUTIONARY who was forced to leave SICILY

in 1848 with his Brother Dominic.

GRANDMA BELLINO’S COOKBOOK

RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNO

GIUSEPPINA FROM LERCARA FRIDDI SICILY

AMAZON.com

The BELLINO’S

FILLIPO , LUCIA , TONY , GIUSEPPINA SALEMI BELLINO

Missing From Picture are Brothers Jimmy and Frank and Sisiter Lilly

LODI , NEW JERSEY 1940

FILLIPO BELLINO

Of LERCARA FRIDDI , SICILY

Immigrated to NEW YORK 1904

A few Years Later moved to LODI , NEW JERSEY

Where FILLIPO Opened a SHOEMAKER SHOP on MAIN STREET

FILLIPO was Father to JAMES, LILLY, FRANK, LUCIA, and TONY

Grandfather of Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

at TEATRO GRECO

SIRACUSA , SICILY

Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author and Italian Wine Authority, Daniel grew up

in East Rutherford and Carlstadt, New Jersey, before moving to New York City in 1982, making his home in the East Village of New York, before moving to Greenwich Village in 1995.

Daniel lives and writes about Italian-American Food & Culture and about Italy and Italian Food and Wine from all regions of Italy, and especially of the south of Sicily, Napoli, and The Amalfi Coast.

Best Selling Italian Cookbooks by Daniel on Amazon.com

NOT SO FAMOUS SICILIANS

But WONDERFUL PEOPLE NEVER The LESS

Screenshot 2020-01-31 at 1.21.25 PM

Santo Caruso & his wife Nunzia Pignataro Caruso

On Their WEDDING DAY

Clemenzas Godfather Sunday Sauce – Castellano and Pacino

CLEMENZA Teaches MICHAEL How to Make SUNDAY SAUCE

Richard Castellano as Peter Clemenza and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone

In FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA’S The GODFATHER

Novel by MARIO PUZO

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino “Z”

“Come here kid, lem-me show you something. You never know when you’re gonna have to cook for 20 guys some day.” Pete Clemenza says to Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. It’s one of the most famed movie scenes in history, and of great importance to Italian-Americans. Clemenza is making “Gravy” aka Sunday Sauce, the Supreme Dish of Italian-America, and the dish that brings Italian Families together each and every Sunday. Learn How to Make Clemenza’s Sunday Sauce, Meatballs, Pasta Fazool, Momma DiMaggio’s Gravy, Goodfellas Sauce, and all of the great favorites of The Italian American Table.

Cook Sinatra’s Spaghetti & Meatballs, Italian Wedding Soup and more, and delight in the many stories and factual information written by Italian Food & Wine Writer Daniel Bellino Zwicke. This book is filled with Joy & Love, and you will get many years of both, reading, cooking and eating the dishes in SUNDAY SAUCE “When Italian-Americans Eat”.Do you Love Goodfellas, The Godfather, and Italian Food? Of course you do. Learn How to make Clemenza’s Brooklyn Mob War Sauce for 20 people some day. Remember that scene in Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo classic Film Trilogy of the Corleone Family of Sicily and Brooklyn, New York. Recipes in Italian-American New York Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke’s Best Selling Cookbook (2 Years Amazon Kindle)

SUNDAY SAUCE includes ; Frank Sinatra Sunday Sauce, Dolly Sinatra’s Spaghetti Meatballs, Joe DiMaggio ‘s mom’s Sunday Gravy, and Charlie Scorsese making Sauce in Prison in Martin Scorsese’s GOODFELLAS – starring; Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesce, and Ray Liotta making Veal & Peppers and Sunday Sauce. And by-the-way, Joe Pesci and Liotta are both Italians from New Jersey, so they know their stuff when it comes to Italian Food and all things Italian (Mafia speak and so-forth).

SUNDAY SAUCE

The Unofficial GODFATHER COOKBOOK

AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com

WATCH The VIDEO

CLEMENZA (Richard Castellano) Teaches MICHAEL (Al Pacino)

HOW to MAKE SUNDAY SAUCE

RECIPE

SUNDAY SAUCE

alla CLEMENZA

LEARN HOW to MAKE IT

AMAZON.com

SUNDAY SAUCE

The Unofficial GODFATHER COOKBOOK

ITALIAN-AMERICAN GRAVY

PASTA – MEATBALLS and Much More

AMAZON.com

CLEMENZA MAKES SAUCE

CELEMENZA’S

GODFATHER SUNDAY SAUCE

TEE SHIRT on Etsy

FLIGHTS & HOTELS

WORLDWIDE

FLY with EXPEDIA

EXPEDIA.com

The POPE of GREENWICH VILLAGE

MICKEY ROURKE & ERIC ROBERTS

TEE SHIRT on Etsy

Tony Sopranos Gabagool Sandwich – I LOVE Gabagool T-Shirt

TONY SOPRANO

Says “FUCK YOU”

Gabagool !!!

Mob Guy # 1: “Hey Paulie, I got some Gabagool !!!

Paulie : “Hey you STUPID JERK !”

“GABAGOOL” !!!

This is part of a scene in Francis Ford Coppola’s famed Italian-American mob-movie The Godfather. The scene is during Connie Corleone’s Wedding to Carlo. Paulie and Mob Guy-1 are assigned by Sonny to be guarding the outside of the Corleone Compound from any unwanted intruders (FBI, rival gangs, anybody).

Mob Guy # 1 got a couple of Gabagool Sandwiches from one of the cooks preparing the Wedding Banquet for Connie and Don Corleone’s guests at Connie’s Wedding. Paulie and Guy # 1 can’t eat with the guest, but they are hungry. “Hey they’re Italian-American!” And Gabagool will definitely fit the bill. Gabagool, aka Gabagul, or similar, is an Italian Salumi pork-product made from the neck-meat of a pig. There are several variations of the name, including; Capicola (most common), Ham Capicola, Coppa, Capocollo, and Capicollo.

“Gabagool” is slang for Capicola? It is not “slang” but Neapolitan dialect that many Italian-Americans use for Capicola, including Tony Sopranos and those real-life guys who don Big Pinky Rings.

A Gabagool Sandwich

So you wanna make a Gabagool. The preferred sandwich is on Italian Bread or a hero-roll from a great Bread Baker like, Parisi Bakers in New York’s Little Italy. Then you gotta get the Gabagool! You get yourself top-quality Capicola from your favorite Pork Store, Satriale’s if you’re in North Jersey, at Di Palo’s in Little Italy, or Faicco’s if you’re downtown New York and Greenwich Village or at their Brooklyn outpost. You’re gonna want Provolone or Mozz, I prefer Provolone. Get some peppers, Hot Cherry Peppers like Tony, Paulie, and Silvio, or as others like myself, with Roast Sweet Peppers. That’s all you need. To make a Gabagool Sub, you need a good sub roll or crusty Italian-Bread, and Gabagool (Capicola) of course, thin sliced Provolone, and either, Genoa Salami, Mortadella, Prosciutto (Proshoot), or Sopressata if you like. Put the Gabagool, Provolone and any other if any Salumi product on the bottom half of your bread, top with shredded Iceberg Lettuce, add a slice of ripe Tomato, then thin sliced Red Onion, and sprinkle on Salt, Black Pepper, Oregano, Olive Oil, and Red Wine Vinegar and “you’re set!” Set if you don’t want it “Hot.” If you do? Then again, get yourself some Hot Italian Cherry Peppers and throw them. That’s a Gabagool Sub.

If you want just a Gabagool and not a Sub, get a nice smaller roll, some roast red sweet peppers (or Hot), the Capicola, and sliced Provolone. Pile everything on between the bread, and Voila, you’ve got a Gabagool, just like Tony.

Excerpted From SUNDAY SAUCE by Daniel Bellino Zwicke … Available on AMAZON.com

PS … For a great Gabagool Sandwich in New York, go to either Parisi’s Italian Deli in Little Italy, or Faicco’s Italian Specialties (Pork Store) on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, for the best Italian Sandwiches on God’s Good Earth!

The LATE GREAT James GANDOLFINI

aka TONY SOPRANO

R.I.P.

GABAGOOL SANDWICH

Parisi Deli Bakery”GET a GABAGOOL”

GET A GABAGOOL !!!

Learn How to Make a GABAGOOL

in SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

SUNDAY SAUCE

LEARN HOW To Make SUNDAY SAUCE

alla CLEMENZA

and SUNDAY GRAVY alla SINATRA

AMAZON.com

SATRIAL’S PORK STORE

“TONY SOPRANO”S FAVORITE”

TOTE BAG on Etsy

The SOPRANOS

“I LOVE GABAGOOL”

TEE SHIRT on Etsy

FAVORITE ITALIAN FOODS

And SECRET RECIPES

AMAZON.com

New York Italian author Daniel Bellino Zwicke – Bestselling Italian Cookbooks & Travel Guides

Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

BAR TIBERIO

PIAZZA UMBERTO

CAPRI

Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Daniel Bellino Zwicke is a best-selling Italian-American cookbook author based in New York City. With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, he has worked in several prestigious Italian establishments and famously created Bar Cichetti, which was recognized as America’s first Venetian wine bar (bacaro). [1, 2, 3, 4] – Amazon.com

Zwicke is widely known for his books celebrating Italian-American culture, traditional regional Italian recipes, and travel guides. He also runs the popular Instagram page @NewYork.Italian, which has hundreds of thousands of followers. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Notable Books & Cookbooks

Zwicke has written numerous highly-rated culinary and travel guides available on Amazon and other major book retailers: [1, 2]

Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook – One of his most popular best-sellers, detailing the rituals and recipes of Italian-American families. [1, 2]
Exploring Venice: Travel Guide – Cookbook – A guide mapping out Venice’s best restaurants, historic wine bars (bacari), and sights (including spots frequented by Casanova) paired with regional insights. [1]
The Feast of the 7 Fish / Italian Christmas – A specialized cookbook dedicated to the traditional Italian Christmas Eve seafood feast. [1, 2, 3]
Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook – A collection of authentic Sicilian recipes passed down from his grandmother. [1, 2, 3]
Sinatra Sauce: Music Meatballs & Merriment – A fun, thematic look at Italian cooking tied into cultural iconography. [1, 2, 3]
Got Any Kahlua? The Collected Recipes of The Dude – A pop-culture departure from his traditional Italian works, serving as a cookbook inspired by The Big Big Lebowski. [1]
ALL BOOKS Available on Amazon.com

BACKGROUND & CULINARY STYLE

Location: He lives and writes out of New York’s Greenwich Village, a neighborhood that heavily influences his work through its historic Italian cafes, bakeries, and pork stores. [1, 2]
Education: He attended the New York Technical College to hone his culinary foundations. [1]
Focus: His writing blends explicit recipe instructions with anecdotal history, personal travel stories, and deep dives into wine pairings, particularly regarding the Chianti region.

DANIEL’S LATEST BOOK

EXPLORING VENICE

TRAVEL GUIDE COOKBOOK

TRAVEL INFO & STORIES

With 40 MOST POPULAR VENETIAN RECIPES

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

AMAZON.com

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

BACK iN VENICE

At All’ ARCO WINE BAR

“BELLINO Beat TUCCI”

VENICE, ITALY

2026

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

TEATRO GRECO

SIRACUSA, SICILY

2017

DANIEL on CAPRI

Daniel Bellino Zwicke lives and works in New York City where he has been a Wine and Restaurant Professional for more than 20 years. Creator of Bar Cichetti “America’s First Venetian Wine Bar” where Daniel was the Chef, Wine Director and Managing Partner. Attended New York Technical College, Daniel has authored; SUNDAY SAUCE “When Italian-Americans Cook” La TAVOLA, THE FEAST of THE 7 FISH “ITALIAN CHRISTMAS” and GOT ANY KAHLUA ? The Collected Recipes of The Dude, a.k.a. The Big Lebowski Cookbook. Daniel is currently working on a new cookbook, yet to be named and a book on Chianti … Daniel is one of America’s Foremost Authorities of Italian Wine …

We Proudly Announce that Daniel’s Book SUNDAY SAUCE is # 1 on Amazon Best Seller List “Italian Cookbooks”

Also, We are Proud to Announce the publication of my newest book; SEGRETO ITALIANO – Secret Italian Recipes and Favorite Dishes ….

“I’ve Just Published POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK / Travel Guide today February 8th, 2021 .. “I’m very excited that I finally finished the book and it is now up and Live on Amazon .com … Hope you all like it.” Thanks, Daniel

June 2026 “I’ve just published my latest book – EXPLORING VENICE – Travel Guide – Cookbook. Stories and Travel info on Venice” – with 40 Recipes of Venice’s most popular dishes.

On Amazon.com

Hope You All It,

Daniel

June 1, 2026