July 17, 2002
Cupertino, California Since 1947
News
Cicero's cooks once again Relatives and friends of the late Nunzio reopen the pizzeria tradition in his honor Charlie LaVerdi is a prognosticator. Nearly one year to the day after he said, "I don't think this will be the last time people will eat Cicero's Pizza," the pizzeria reopened. The face of the business has changed since its July 2001 closing. Founder and businessman extraordinaire Nunzio Cicero died. The old ovens have been sold off, replaced with $14,000 state-of-the-art Marcelo brick ovens from Long Island, N.Y. Next-generation pizzamakers Bob LaVerdi and Rik Jones, Nunzio's son-in-law and grandson, respectively, have restarted the business. And Charlie, LaVerdi's son, has been made an assistant manager. But for Jones, the pizzeria is still part of a hallowed institution, Old Cupertino coming back—albeit in a San Jose shopping center. "People say our pizza is even better," Jones said. "We make great pizza. We're a destination for it. We think we're the best, and we're willing to put our pizza up against anybody." And so when Bob LaVerdi, a longtime Cicero's employee, was helping Jones build a deck last year, talk of returning to the kitchen was natural in coming. Jones was a dot-com casualty from AltaVista. LaVerdi was working construction jobs. In March 2002, friends who managed a wine shop reported to LaVerdi and Jones that a Round Table Pizza restaurant, in fact, had vacated an Orchard Farms Center storefront at Bollinger and Miller roads. By April, Cicero's was being rebuilt. The doors swung open June 15 to serve loyal clientele the New York–style pizza for which it has been known since 1968. "We are not like most pizzerias, which draw customers from a 3-mile radius," Jones said. "We draw from a larger demographic area. It is interesting how passionate people are about our pizza." To Jones, the pizza is special because the crust is rolled extra thin. The sauce and cheese are spread to the edges of the crust, leaving very little exposed dough. Then the pizza is placed in a well-oiled pan. The crust essentially fries as the toppings bake in the new oven that spits 650-degree gas flames. But it's the "secret" on which the family stakes most of its success. The family calls it "the pizza with the secret." And the secret is the sauce. Like Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper and nuclear weaponry, it's a well-guarded secret that only an inner circle is party to. Only three people know how to make Cicero's sauce—Jones, LaVerdi and his son Charlie. LaVerdi comes in most days to make the dough himself. Despite being prodded to expand the menu and include delivery service, Cicero's management insists on focusing on the basics. "People come in here and say, 'Why don't you make lasagna?' " LaVerdi said. "We don't want to, and we don't have to. Our pizza is our focus, and we excel at that." The businessmen credit themselves for always putting the customer first, and the customers remember. This was made most apparent by the overwhelming response to Cicero's rebirth. A notebook by the cash register is already half-full of accolades and "welcome back" messages, with entries peppered liberally with phrases such as "like family," and "best pizza." When an order is taken, so is a name. That's how LaVerdi relates to people. "I saw a guy yesterday," LaVerdi said. "I didn't remember his name at first. I was like, 'There's large beef with onion? ... Large beef with onion! Hey, Larry!' " It's one name, however, that binds the business. That is Nunzio. "He would be proud, very pleased with the new operation," Jones said. The pizzeria has adopted a fitting logo—a drawing of Nunzio, the man who came to California in a truck that made worse time than covered wagons, the man who spent 27 years tossing dough. Because in his times—and even in these—to the Cicero's clan, pizza is family. Cicero's will be hosting a week of grand opening events from July 15 to 21. The restaurant will be holding raffles, including one for a mountain bike. It will also be the site of a West Valley locals night that will welcome back their customers of all generations. For more information, call 408.777.0690 or visit the website at www.cicerospizza.com. |
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