***** (5 stars)
This place was always good, but has really upped their game of late. The salmon and asparagus salad at lunch is fantastic, and the table brewed iced tea is the best in town.
Bella Tuscany Ristorante Italiano
13424 Summerport Village Pkwy
Windermere, FL 34786
(407) 917-6036
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bella-tuscany-ristorante-italiano-windermere-2
**** (4 stars)
Cuvee, as you might expect, offers an excellent wine list. The list is oddly divided into two parts, essentially the cheap part and the expensive part. Pricing varies, but seems to be about double retail. For me the highlight was the two pages of half bottles, something you don’t see a lot of anymore.
I thought the food was good, but there weren’t really any home runs. We tried the portobello mushroom, fried green tomatoes (which were more about crawfish), and the pecan crusted grouper (be sure to get the very sweet sauce on the side).
Our server was excellent, and we liked the quiet back corner of the back room, as the bar can get quite boisterous.
Cuvee Destin
36120 Emerald Coast Pkwy
Destin, FL 32541
(850) 650-8900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cuvee-destin-destin-2
**** (4 stars)
Great service is the highlight of this elegant restaurant that overlooks the Four Seasons pool and the Gateway Arch.
The menu offers some Italian classic dishes, well prepared. I enjoyed the branzino entree, but the highlight was the flexibility to select a starter plate of high quality meats and cheeses, and especially the large selection of house-made gelatos. This was a good choice for hotel dining.
Cielo
Four Seasons Hotel
999 N 2nd St
Saint Louis, MO 63102
(314) 881-5759
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cielo-saint-louis-2
**** (4 stars)
This Italian steakhouse offers great service and excellent food in an environment that differentiates it from the other steakhouses in town. It’s lighter and more open (less “clubby”) than the dark wood red leather booth places.
We had the Prix Fixe menu, which included our choice in each of four courses. Many of the starters and second courses had an Italian slant, but I wouldn’t really describe it as traditional Italian cuisine. Steakhouse staples such as shrimp cocktail were also offered.
Both the filet mignon entree and the ahi tuna entree were really excellent: tender, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. We finished with an excellent tira misu.
There is a nice wine list with some reasonably priced selections.
437 Rush Restaurant
437 N Rush St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 222-0101
http://www.yelp.com/biz/437-rush-restaurant-chicago
*** (3 stars)
Poor Romano’s. It just can’t seem to get any respect. I’m not sure why, because the decor–especially at this location–is really nice, evoking an old Italian country house. And the service is always friendly.
The food isn’t bad either. I particularly like the bruscetta appetizer, where you apply your own diced tomato and garlic topping to the crusty bread. The pizza service is nice too, with a hand shaped oval pizza served with a personal pizza cutter and a bowl of spicy sauce, so you can finish it off any way you like.
There are also some great lunch deals, including a three course lunch for ten bucks, or a seven dollar lunch served in seven minutes. If you haven’t tried Romano’s lately–at least for lunch–it might be worth a second look.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill
3143 Daniels Rd
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 654-0351
http://www.yelp.com/biz/romanos-macaroni-grill-winter-garden
**** (4 stars)
There is an overabundance of Italian restaurants in Chicago, and many have little to recommend them. Quartino is different, though, in that it takes a tapas approach to Italian food, emphasizing small plates of antipasti.
The best way to experience this is through their Salumeria Tasting, which lets you choose seven items to your taste, including veggies, cheeses and meat, all accompanied by several additional sides.
Everything I tried was tasty and delicious, and it was a good way to experience a broad range of offerings.
Of course they also offer pizza, other entrees, and an extensive dessert list, and they brag that they have wine that is cheaper than water.
My server was very friendly, and I enjoyed a relaxed meal in one of their spacious dining rooms. There is also a large outside dining area.
Quartino
626 N State St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 698-5000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/quartino-chicago
**** (4 stars)
Despite its name, Siena Tavern doesn’t really come across as either Italian or a tavern. True, there is a list of pizzas, and they serve drinks, but it seems more like a Hillstone concept to me.
The decor is open and modern, with a few too many hard surfaces to control the noise level when it’s busy (which seems to be most of the time).
We went for Sunday brunch/lunch, and I was pleased to find that while there were some very tasty looking brunch items, there were also lots of non-breakfast choices.
The chopped salad was an interesting conglomeration of vegetables, cheese and meat, and had enough juice from the artichoke hearts and other veggies that it didn’t really need the accompanying honey mustard dressing, so I’m glad I had that on the side.
The “burnt crust” pepperoni pizza wasn’t quite as charred as I would have liked, but it did have a very thin crust and good flavor.
Service was efficient, a necessity given how busy they were.
I’m not sure what would draw me back for a revisit (maybe some of the breakfast items, which looked really delicious and really bad for you) but my visit was fine.
Siena Tavern
51 W Kinzie St
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 595-1322
http://www.yelp.com/biz/siena-tavern-chicago
**** (4 stars)
Caprino’s is a much better restaurant than anything that has previously occupied this space. Run by Chef Stefano, who previously had the restaurant at the entrance to Summerport, and also has Stefano’s Grill in Dr Phillip’s Marketplace, Caprino’s strikes a balance between neighborhood Italian restaurant and sports bar.
The space is still the amalgam of Rialto’s ornate fine dining restaurant wrapped around a somewhat incongruous bar dotted with big screen TVs, but this serves the menu well, with its emphasis on combining traditional Italian dishes with sports bar food.
Whether your party wants wings, hoagies, pasta or pizza, there is likely something for everyone. And at the higher end, the beef is reportedly all prime; it and the seafood are butchered on site.
Our server was friendly and well-informed, and the service in general seemed quite polished for a restaurant open less than two months. On a moderately busy Friday night the kitchen was having trouble keeping up, which caused some service issues, but presumably these will be corrected.
The pizza is thin crust and has an authentic Naples taste to it. We tried two specials: the osso buco was heavily over-salted, but the lobster ravioli was well-prepared. Caesar salad is conventional and includes house made croutons.
Desserts are the same offerings as at Stefano’s Grill. The tira misu was generous.
Wine by the glass selections are somewhat limited, but there is a nice list of 29 bottles for $29 each, and also extensive cocktail offerings.
Chef Stefano was circulating throughout the dining room on the night we were there, and his hands on approach has certainly improved the experience at this neighborhood restaurant. So far it’s paying off with increased patronage.
Caprino’s Italian
7782 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Ste 140
Windermere, FL 34786
(407) 500-3663
http://www.yelp.com/biz/caprinos-italian-windermere
**** (4 stars)
This is one of the best places for outside dining in the Magnificent Mile area, because the sidewalk cafe is actually a balcony far above Grand Street, so there’s no automobile traffic.
The usual pasta dishes are on offer, but we concentrated on appetizers, and loved everything we tried, particularly the zucchini blossoms, which were very lightly fried and stuffed with a creamy smoked mozzarella that was delicious.
The ricotta appetizer was also excellent, with fresh honey and crusty toasted bread.
Clams and mussels are served in a garlic laced broth that’s not too rich.
We also shared a pizza. The offering changes weekly, so your mileage may vary. We loved the authentic Naples-style crust, but didn’t care for the raspberry and onion based sauce on our particular offering.
There are some nice selections on the wine list, and the service was friendly yet professional.
Labriola Ristorante & Cafe
535 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 955-3100
http://www.yelp.com/biz/labriola-ristorante-and-cafe-chicago
**** (4 stars)
A long time favorite, Fresco has moved across the parking lot from their former location, and their new digs suite them well. Completely new, and yet with a comfortable rustic air, the space is pleasant and inviting.
The menu seems largely unchanged. Most important, my favorite salad is still on offer. The Chicken Salad name does this dish a disservice, as it is a complete meal on a plate, with grilled chicken atop mixed greens, and then succulent sautéed mushrooms on top of that, then the whole thing drizzled with balsamic. Along with a fairly vinegary ramekin of dressing, the combination is one of my favorite salads in town.
The meal is preceded by tasty Italian bread and traditional dipping oil with herbs.
Lunchtime service is quick and efficient, and the kitchen does a good job of keeping up, even though the new location seemed to have increased their business. Definitely a move up for them.
Fresco Cucina Italiana
Bay Hill Plz
7721 Turkey Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 363-5775
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fresco-cucina-italiana-orlando