Publisher Of Pizza & Pasta Unveils In San Diego's North County | Blade 1946 Is Now Open

September 24, 2019

Now open in the North County neighborhood of Oceanside is Blade 1946, a newspaper-themed pizza and pasta destination from two experienced San Diego chefs of Italian descent.

As part of a restoration of historic sites in the North County San Diego beachside community of Oceanside, former BiCE Executive Chef Mario Cassineri teamed up with fellow Italiano Johncarlo Ferraiuolo, who previously was the pizzaiolo at Red Oven Pizza and Caffe Calabria, to open a pizza and pasta warehouse in the building that long housed The Blade-Tribune newspaper headquarters. Sitting in stark contrast to the quaint new Barrio Logan-based Ciccia Osteria that Chef Cassineri opened with his wife this past summer, Blade 1936 clocks in at 6,000 square-feet of dining space, with an outdoor patio and rooftop lounge still in development.

Blade 1936 is decorated with old newspaper clippings covering the walls and a time capsule on the restaurant's floor. The menu features shareable plates, salads, scratch-made pasta, and a variety of Neapolitan pizzas and calzones prepared in a custom Stefano Ferrara brick pizza oven. Any pizza can be made to be gluten free and there are also separate menus dedicated to plant-based, vegan dishes and gluten-free items. The restaurant also offers a full lineup of cocktails, beer and wine from a central bar. 

Born and raised in Milan, Italy, Mario Cassineri boasts an impressive background of culinary training. Mario began his cooking career working at several well-regarded restaurants in Milan, including positions at the famous Splendid Hotel in Baveno, Italy on Lake Maggiore. From there, Mario joined three of the most celebrated chefs in Italy, Claudio Sadler, Maurizio Bosotti and Gaultiero Marchesi, to collaborate with on a highly successful restaurant and hotel consulting business. With a desire to spread his passion for food to others, Mario also taught culinary arts at the internationally renowned Costigliole d'Asti in Piedmont, Italy. In 2005, Mario joined the BICE Restaurant Group as Executive Corporate Chef, and along with his wife and pastry chef Francesca Penoncelli, opened BICE Beirut in Lebanon, and other BICE concept restaurants in Miami, Bethesda, Chicago, Kansas City, and others, until finally landing in San Diego. From 2009 until its closing in 2017, Mario operated BICE Ristorante in downtown San Diego as the head chef and owner. He has also consulted on the openeing of Madison on Park in University Heights, Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station, and, most recently, Amici Ristobar in Del Mar. Cassineri and Penoncelli also opened Ciccia Osteria in San Diego's Barrio Logan this past June, which has been receiving rave reviews by the local community.

Blade 1936 is currently open at 401 Seagaze Drive in Oceannside starting at 4pm Monday through Friday, and 10am on Saturday and Sunday for brunch. For more information, visit blade1936.com and check out the menus below.