(Photography by Kevin Marple)
The northwest corner of Frankford and Preston Road just got a little snazzier. In the space that recently housed Grover’s Grill & Bar, there now stands Battuto Italian Kitchen, a sleek Italian-American restaurant owned and operated by former radio personalities Julie and Gene Gates. They are more than just window dressing: the couple is hands-on and devoted to fresh, local, and seasonal products. The menu offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, and boasts handmade pastas, pizzas, vegetable purée soups, fresh seafood, and Italian specialties. Two of us split a salad and an 8-inch pizza covered with medium-rare filet mignon, fresh figs, caramelized onions, and Gorgonzola, and we each had a glass of wine. We got out for just a little more than $40. A few evenings later…
