membersNews
11/08/2018

Welcome new IACC member Tortoni!

Welcome NEW IACC member Tortoni Ristorante Italiano in Memorial!

Tortoni owner Danny Gonzalez first moved to Houston in the 1980s from his native Argentina to play for the Houston Hurricanes. A successful career in broadcasting (as an announcer for the Houston Rockets and the Astros) followed. But the culinary arts seemed to always be calling him from the sidelines.

His most recent foray into the restaurant world comes to us in the form of Tortoni Ristorante Italiano in Memorial, a warm and inviting dining room with a focus on classic Neapolitan and pan-Italian favorites.

“My family was originally from Sicily,” he told the IACC Texas recently. “And so I wanted to create a restaurant that reflected my roots.”

He partnered with one of Houston’s most talented young Italian chefs, Raimondo “Ray” Rosmini, who had already established himself as one of the city’s top pizzaioli.

Originally from Naples, Ray has won numerous pizza competitions in Italy and the U.S. but he’s also a classically trained Italian chef.

“Pizza is just part of our menu, of course,” said Danny. “But we also feature pastas, seafood, and fish, like our orata, shipped fresh directly from Italy.”

The wine list is mostly Italian but there is also an ample offering of North and South American labels, including Argentine Malbec, one of Danny’s favorites from home.

Tortoni will be hosting its first IACC happy hour next Tuesday, November 13. Click here for details and please join us for some of Houston’s best authentic Italian cuisine!

Image via the Tortoni Ristorante Italiano Facebook.