Carmine’s Beverly Hills

It’s been over forty years since I last went to Carmine’s! On that occasion, Carmine was still the chef, and we ran into Charlton Heston at the table next to us. I’m happy to say that the place hasn’t changed much. Carmine has passed, but successive generations have kept the place much the same as it always was, from menu to ambiance.

I particularly like the approach to the menu where you can select your pasta and then the preparation for that pasta. This approach extends to entrées where you select your protein and then the preparation for that protein. Perhaps it’s the engineer in me, but I really like this straightforward way to assemble exactly the meal you’d like.

We started with Caesar salad and an iceberg wedge. Both were perfectly classic in preparation and portion size.

For entrees, we had the unique Chicken Savoy, served with a somewhat tangy red wine vinegar sauce, and a seafood stew. Both of them were also very good.

We finished with tiramisu, which was good but not the best I’ve ever had. I prefer mine with a bit more booze and the lady fingers on the bottom.

There’s a small but thoughtful selection of wines by the glass, and an extensive list of Italian reds available by the bottle.

Service was very friendly, and the overall environment was very welcoming. It’s great to see a place that knows what’s made it successful for so many years continuing on with the tradition.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/carmines-restaurant-los-angeles

Manzzo Cuisine

This is a lovely interior design for a restaurant–definitely upscale. Considering that, lunch prices are reasonable. Unfortunately, the food and service don’t live up to that promise.

Service started off weird with an icy greeting from Wednesday Addams at the front desk, who had to disappear to check if our table was ready (note that the restaurant was empty when we arrived at 12:30). Indeed it was. And yet although the restaurant remained sparsely populated throughout our lunch, and despite six front-of-house employees, somehow things seemed ragged and sluggish.

Caesar salads were good, and my wife enjoyed her beef carpaccio, although it was a rather unusual preparation with no oil; but the accompanying rosemary-seasoned toasts were excellent.

Chicken Marsala was pretty much completely flavorless–odd because it looked good, and the sauce had the right consistency, but just nothing going on.

In sum, it was a completely average experience. Perhaps your mileage will vary.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/manzzo-cuisine-windermere

Vincenzo Cucina Italiana

We’ve gone to Ciao Italia for many years, so we thought we’d try their sister restaurant, Vincenzo. It’s located in a more visible, tourist-accessible spot, and is in a newer space.

The interior is nicely designed, with an appealing bar, and good acoustic design in the dining room. Lighting levels are pleasant.

The menu is similar, offering classic Southern Italian cuisine. My Shrimp Diavalo appetizer was excellent, and its $20 price quite reasonable for a generous serving. My wife really enjoyed her Fettuccini Alfredo, which was made in the classic butter and parmesan style, rather than inundated in cream sauce.

The wine list is well-considered, and service was pleasant.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/vincenzo-cucina-italiana-orlando

Simply Capri

I really like the interior design of this new, airy restaurant in Flamingo Crossings. The staff is very welcoming, and the ambiance is great.

The menu offers a nice variety of upscale Italian fare. We started with the sauteed mussels and clams (which were okay, but could have used more garlic) and the tuna carpaccio, which had a marvelous lemon dressing on the accompanying arugula.

That same fantastic dressing showed up on the Salad Capri, one of the best salads I’ve ever had. The combination of the slightly sweet lemon dressing and the bitter greens was amazing, as were the other surprising ingredients: banana peppers, melon, candied walnuts, and olives.

We happened to go for lunch on a Wednesday, which is lasagna day, and the lasagna was very good. It seemed like something an Italian grandmother would make.

Because it’s in a tourist area, prices are not cheap, but I would definitely return for the amazing salad and excellent service. 

How to Cook a Wolf

The menu doesn’t adequately convey the complexity of the food here. We had an outstanding meal in this cozy Queen Anne restaurant. Simple dishes like sourdough bread come alive with spreads featuring fennel or roasted garlic and balsamic. The “bruschetta” is actually crostinia spread with smoked fish dip. And, most stunning of all, a pappardelle was infused with orange zest, mint, and chili oil. Truly the best pasta dish I’ve ever had.

Service by Martin was stellar. He was a great host, waiter, and informant about all of the dishes.

The bar is turning out great cocktails, while the wine list leans more toward austere whites and international reds.

While compact, the dining area is not overly noisy. Definitely exceeded our expectations.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/how-to-cook-a-wolf-seattle

La Piccolina

Although the name sounds very Italian, the menu (which is extensive) is divided evenly between Italian and Peruvian foods. (They also serve American breakfast.)

I wasn’t sure the Peruvian food would measure up to other places in town, with all that Italian food competing for attention, but it was top-notch. We started with the fish ceviche, a generous portion of fresh fish with all the classical accompaniments. Next was a terrific shrimp causa, obviously assembled fresh to order. And we finished with the chicken chaufa. I suppose you could count this as a fourth cuisine, since it’s essentially Chinese fried rice! 

Special shout-out to the house-made herbal crisps served with oil and balsamic at the start of the meal. They were great.

The food and service were both great, and the space is quite pleasant. Maybe we’ll go back tomorrow for Italian!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-piccolina-winter-garden-2

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Temp. CLOSED

Interior
Interior
Exterior
Exterior
Bar
Bar
Salad, breadsticks, Alfredo sauce
Salad, breadsticks, Alfredo sauce

**** (4 stars)

This is one of the very first Olive Gardens because Orlando is Darden's test market for new restaurant concepts. They definitely kept it fresh, with lovely remodeling. The bar is well-separated from the restaurant, and the dining room is open, spacious, and airy, with lots of windows.

The food is Olive Garden standard, so not much more needs to be said.

Service is good. The Darden restaurants have recently gone to table top devices for ordering and paying, no doubt to deal with staffing challenges. I'm not sold on the efficiency, but time will tell.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Temp. CLOSED
12361 State Road 535
Orlando, FL 32836

https://www.yelp.com/biz/olive-garden-italian-restaurant-orlando-24

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Interior
Interior
Exterior
Exterior
Bar
Bar
Salad, breadsticks, Alfredo sauce
Salad, breadsticks, Alfredo sauce

**** (4 stars)

This is one of the very first Olive Gardens because Orlando is Darden's test market for new restaurant concepts. They definitely kept it fresh, with lovely remodeling. The bar is well-separated from the restaurant, and the dining room is open, spacious, and airy, with lots of windows.

The food is Olive Garden standard, so not much more needs to be said.

Service is good. The Darden restaurants have recently gone to table top devices for ordering and paying, no doubt to deal with staffing challenges. I'm not sold on the efficiency, but time will tell.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
12361 State Road 535
Orlando, FL 32836

https://www.yelp.com/biz/olive-garden-italian-restaurant-orlando-24

Pizzeria Rustica

Interior
Interior
Exterior and patio
Exterior and patio
Antipasto
Antipasto
Caesar salad
Caesar salad
Rustica
Rustica

*** (3 stars)

Friendly service and a nice patio dining area are the highlights of this place in the midst of the Colorado Springs tourist area.

The food was just okay, with a very pedestrian Antipasto Misto and somewhat odd Caesar Salad that involved diced meat and toasted bits of flatbread.

The namesake Pizza Rustica was also just okay. The thin, authentic crust was good, but the ricotta was only in one small section, and the pizza overall had very little flavor. We overhead a nearby table chatting with the owner, and they gave exactly the same assessment.

Wine prices are reasonable.

Pizzeria Rustica
2527 W Colorado Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80904

https://www.yelp.com/biz/pizzeria-rustica-colorado-springs