PUCCINI AND PASTA
FEATURING THE FLAVOR AND FLAIR OF ITALY

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2002 - A touch of Italy has come to Downtown Memphis – Puccini and Pasta, the Italian restaurant with a menu that pleases everyone's taste – and it's located inside Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center!

Puccini and Pasta is owned by noted-restaurateur Piero Filpi, a native of Palermo, Italy. It is among the latest restaurants managed by Mezzanotte Inc., which also manages five luxurious restaurants in upscale areas of Coconut Grove, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"We're delighted to have Puccini and Pasta join our Peabody Place tenant family," said Andrew J. Groveman, senior vice president of Belz Enterprises and the developers of Peabody Place. "Piero Filpi's restaurants all have a reputation for quality food and excellent service. This winning combination is sure to offer patrons fine Italian dining, right here, inside Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center."

Puccini and Pasta occupies approximately 5,000 square feet of space inside the Center with indoor and "outdoor" seating on the restaurant’s patio in the atrium. Casual diners should find the restaurant's "community table" convenient and to their liking, in addition to being a truly unique table setting.

With a special emphasis on "freshness," menu items include authentic Italian pastas, fresh-made mozzarella topped with roasted peppers and mushrooms. Specialties, such as Lobata Mezzanotte – a flattened veal chop, lightly breaded, sautéed, then topped with fresh tomatoes and seasoning, offer patrons a new level of dinning excellence.

"Puccini and Pasta is a great addition to Peabody Place," says owner Piero Filpi. "We're looking forward to bringing the genuine taste of Italy to Downtown Memphis."

Filpi, a one-time insurance executive, began his career as a world-class restaurateur in Miami with the1985 opening of Piero Restaurant. One year later, he opened Tanino in Coral Gables, Fla., followed by the 1989 opening of Mezzanotte. The restaurant's location on 12th Street, and its street address of 1200 inspired the name. Mezzanotte, which means "midnight" in Italian.

Other restaurants following Mezzanotte include Carpaccio, Fish 54, Il Toscano, and Puccini and Pasta. All of these Florida establishments capture the essence of Italy with alluring décor including walls painted in terra cotta hues, Venetian glass chandeliers, mahogany furniture and terraces complete with palm trees. The décor of the Peabody Place restaurant is very similar.

"The most memorable aspect of Filpi's restaurants, is the food," said general manager George Cortez. "And at Puccini and Pasta, the menu includes everything from pizza, salads, soups and pastas to veal, sirloin, fish and chicken, dishes that are sure to please, even the most discriminating palate."

Open daily at 11 a.m., Puccini & Pasta accepts reservations by phone at (901) 528-9555. The restaurant closes at 11 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; and 10 p.m. on Sundays.