Longtime Italian eatery gets new look, new name, menu upgrade

Now that the dog days of summer have arrived summer has finally arrived, Spokane Valley residents have another option for al fresco dining at a familiar favorite that’s gotten a makeover and a new name.

Mel and Tony Kupcow, who bought Pinocchio Italian Express near the corner of Sprague and Bowdish three years ago, have remodeled, revamped and reopened as T-Pranos Italian Dining.

“We were never able to get past the Pinocchio’s Italian Express image it had,” explained Mel Kupcow. “So we just decided to remodel again and change the name.”

The T stands for Tony, who managed Pinocchio’s for eight years before purchasing it in 2006. “I’ve always called him ‘T’. I thought let’s put his name on the billboard and make him a happy man,” said Kupcow. “The Pranos is just for fun. It’s just a zippy little Italian name.”

Along with the new name, T-Pranos opened on July 8 with a modified look. The Kupcows knocked out a wall and removed some of the booths so they could put in bistro tables for additional seating and a more intimate atmosphere. And for customers who love to dine outside, they built a patio in the front.

“We are still very small but it’s bigger, roomier and more open,” said Kupcow, adding they have a wait staff so customers get the dining experience rather than an express meal.

Additionally, the restaurant offers an expanded menu, from appetizers and drinks to dinner.

“All the recipes are house-made,” said Kupcow, noting the new menu offers several seafood dishes and the beverage choices afforded by a full bar. “It’s more like old-world Italian. We really try to accommodate people with a lot of flavor and texture. It is all about the food for us.”

Kupcow said the seafood fettuccini is a popular dish, along with the peppy penne. “It’s a spicy penne dish with chicken and pepperoni and green peppers and onions with a nice little kick to it. All the dishes, I eat so much of it. I love to eat and will not serve anything I won’t eat,” she said. “But my absolute favorite is the salmon and the rice and asparagus.”

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily and ladies night from 5 p.m. to close each Tuesday. “If there is demand to be open on Mondays, we will be. Right now there is no demand,” said Kupcow, noting they enjoy meeting and interacting with the customers so the restaurant reflects their tastes in its homemade fare.

“We are really one-on-one with the customers. One of us tries to be there at all times,” said Kupcow. “We do our best to accommodate everybody as much as we can and make their experience memorable, one where they will want to come back.”