A Destination

Solo Italiano presents authentic Italian cuisine–fresh from the farm and the sea and prepared from the heart by the winner of both the 1992 Best Young Chef in Italy and 2008 Pesto World Championship awards.

Paolo laboa

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Paolo Laboa’s journey started in his mother's kitchen, where he learned the secrets of real Genovese cooking, the pinnacle of Northern Italian cuisine. Every ingredient chef Paolo touches is fresh from the farm and sea to his kitchen and to your table. Some of his favorite sources of daily produce are Stonecipher Farm, Dandelion Spring Farm and Olivia’s Garden. Our mushrooms come from Northspore or other local foragers. Fresh fish is brought in daily through Upstream, Harbor Fish Market, Nova Seafood or Browne Trading Co. And we source proteins like wild rabbit from Sumner Valley Farm and lamb, beef and pork from Two Cove Farm, while our dairy and eggs for pasta comes from a variety these farmers.

“Cooking is what I love and I want each ingredient to sing. Simplicity is my goal. If there are five ingredients, I want you to taste all five of them.” Breads and pastas are all made in-house from scratch using traditional Genovese recipes. “It is very important–the food that you eat,” says Laboa. For Paolo, the beauty is in the ingredient, and they are not to be masked or overcomplicated. Less is more and slower is better (“piano piano”). We are but creative vehicles for what our soil and sea can provide for us.

He and his family moved from the west coast to be closer to Gloucester, MA, where his wife Mercedes grew up. He and Mercedes have two young daughters and they all feel very at home here in Maine–they love the ocean and can’t wait for the snow, as much as the growing season to begin. Portland reminds Paolo very much of Genova, Italy. “I love having the sea in front and the mountains and forest in the back, and let's not forget the wonderful farming community and what they do with the season they are given. You can't beat it,” says chef Paolo.