Photography by Adam Kindred
Star chef Claudio Urciuoli is in startup mode again – this time conjuring terrific pizzas, flatbreads and bruschetta out of a fancy Swedish oven in Gilbert.
You gotta hand it to Valley chef Claudio Urciuoli – the guy stays true to himself, never straying from his Italian roots or his principles, which involve sourcing great ingredients and manipulating them as little as possible. It also means he moves around a bit. Unpretentious and unconcerned with trends, the personable Campanian has marched into and out of a remarkable number of restaurants over his two-decade career in Arizona – including one, Pa’La, that he co-founded before leaving last year.
And that’s OK. The important thing is: Urciuoli is always working, which is a great comfort to those of us who love his talent and independence.
Both are on display at Source in Gilbert’s Epicenter at Agritopia, which he recently opened with his new partner, Akshat Sethi (founder of Thai Chili 2 Go). Clean-lined and modern, it’s a fancy fast-casual, featuring shelves stocked with wine and imported foodstuffs. A steady stream of customers wanders in for loaves of freshly baked bread, sandwiches and pizzas to go. The Italian-Mediterranean menu, reminiscent of that at the original Pa’La on 24th Street, features tapas, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and grain bowls served on compostable paper plates. All of it is under $16, and much of it revolves around slowly fermented, high-hydration bread, made with organic flour and baked in a Swedish oven. It’s spectacular.
Za’atar-flecked flatbread, lightyears better than any doughy commercial variety for its herbal notes and delicate crunch, is delicious alone, even better dredged through faintly chunky, olive oil-drizzled chickpea hummus dusted with chermoula. Crunchy red lentil croquetas, tucked between split za’atar flatbread, layered with cabbage slaw and sour labneh, brightened with preserved lemon, also exude a Middle Eastern vibe.
Urciuoli’s bruschetta is the best I’ve had in ages – or maybe ever. Tangy sourdough offers sturdy support to ultra-creamy stracciatella cheese, the milky-sweet mixture of pulled mozzarella curds and fresh cream that creates the gushy interior of burrata. Topped with a cluster of cherry tomatoes bathed in basil oil, it’s exquisitely lush, a Caprese for the books.
The house salad – a sweet, earthy assemblage of mixed greens, beets, orange and fennel, lightly dressed in EVOO and Cabernet vinegar – represents another “best of its kind,” as do preternaturally light, airy pizzas, one topped with cotto ham, mushroom, baby artichokes, mozzarella, EVOO and zippy spices; the other with Arcadia Meat Market’s spicy Italian sausage, roasted red pepper, mountain oregano, tomato and mozzarella.
Shell out five bucks for a luscious chocolate mousse and ask yourself where you can eat this well for the price. Source should be your go-to source for outstanding, affordable Italian.
Source
Cuisine: Italian
Contact: 3150 E. Ray Rd., Gilbert, 480-687-7732, eatatsource.com
Hours: Su-Sa, noon-8 p.m.
Highlights: Hummus with za’atar flatbread ($9); bruschetta ($15); salads ($10-$12); pizzas ($13-$15)
