[Vision2020] Landmark Moscow Eatery Will Reopen in New, Larger Building

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (March 24, 2007) Lewiston Tribune -

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Owner: Landmark Moscow eatery will reopen in new, larger building 
By ELAINE WILLIAMS of the Tribune

Gambino's Italian Restaurant in Moscow will be resurrected minus the fish
bowls of cheap beer. 

Construction has started on a $1 million, 4,300-square-foot building with a
brick facade near the University of Idaho campus, said Larry Swanger,
president of Palouse Hospitality of Idaho, which will operate the eatery. 

Swanger hopes it will be finished in August in time for the return of
college students. 

The building will replace one less than half the size that was demolished
last week. 

Originally Swanger had hoped to renovate, not rebuild, but he found the
project was going to be too complicated. The building had started out as a
barbershop and then was added onto three times, Swanger said. 

The equipment was so worn the only piece Swanger is keeping is a pizza dough
mixer that's being refurbished. 

"I don't want to be less than what people remember,'' Swanger said. "It was
an icon kind of place.'' 

The fish bowls are being cut to help create an atmosphere where families can
feel comfortable bringing children, Swanger said. "If someone orders a beer,
the bartender will bring it out and make sure everyone is legal age.'' 

Swanger said he has fond memories of frequenting Gambino's with his wife
when they were in college. 

His favorite dish was No. 71, chicken Florentine, a combination of egg
noodles, chicken, ham, Swiss cheese and mushroom wine cream sauce. "I will
continue to carry that if I can perfect it like they did.'' 

Gambino's will feature upscale pizza and a salad bar. Other items on the
menu will be lasagna, spaghetti, Italian sandwiches, lentil soup and perhaps
chicken marsala. 

Lentil soup made the cut because Swanger doesn't know of any restaurant that
showcases one of the region's leading agricultural exports. 

He found a family near Troy that sells a mix for a great version. 

"We won't be a bargain restaurant, but we won't be overly expensive,''
Swanger said. "We won't compete with Domino's or Pizza Perfection. My
personal favorite is Fazzari's. If I could be in their shadow, it would be
wonderful.'' 

Swanger quickly added that he has no plans to expand Gambino's into the
Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. 

Gambino's will be Swanger's first venture in an independent restaurant. His
other businesses include five Subway restaurants in Lewiston, Moscow and
Clarkston. 

He acquired the property 1 1/2 years ago when he heard that Ellen Roskovich,
the widow of Gambino's founder Don Roskovich, was struggling to operate the
restaurant alone. 

Swanger learned the property could be available through his accountant who
also did work for Roskovich. "I said, 'Here. Offer her this.' It was like a
10-minute conversation and all of a sudden I owned it.''

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho