Thursday, April 28, 2011

Piccolino's, Boca's most recent addition to the world of authentic Italian cuisine

Hello Fellow Foodies,



The aromatic bouquet of garlic and slow cooked sauces can be intoxicating if you're walking through the downtown Boca area around lunch or dinner time. I'd been wanting to stop in to check out Piccolino's, the newest Italian restaurant to open up on Federal Highway, just south of Palmetto Park Road for some time now and finally made a point to invite some friends to join me a couple Saturdays ago. Owner Roberto Vacca and his lovely wife Leonora were so gracious and made us feel as if we were guests in their home right away. We were offered a nice glass of wine and soon were brought out a number of traditional classics to try. The Caprese Salad contained the freshest buffalo mozzarella that I've had in a very long time. It was so creamy, what a delight. The eggplant parm was off the charts. Fantastico! The Lasagna and Gnocchi were perfectly cooked and were packed with flavor as well. The Margherita Pizza was a crowd favorite; very thin and crispy and very tasty. The Ciabatta bread is fresh and is a nice vessel for mopping up your sauces and is also the star of their panini sandwiches.














Piccolino's is open for lunch M - F and dinner M - Sat. They are available for private parties on the weekends as well. It's a cozy little restaurant filled to the brim with charm, personality and top notch hospitality. I can't wait to return and I highly recommend you try it too.

Located at 78 S. Federal Hwy. Boca Raton 33432 561-395-8858
http://www.piccolinoboca.com/ Facebook: Piccolino Italian Restaurant





Until we eat again,


I send you delicious wishes, xo





Denise

Friday, April 15, 2011

It's Fast, Fresh & Fantastic...It's Souvlaki Fast

Hello Fellow Foodies, I knew it was getting close to lunch time because you can set a watch to my tummy rumblings. Just finished posting some lunch specials from a few of the local downtown restaurants, when it hit me, from out of nowhere, that I hadn't had Souvlaki Fast in quite some time. So I decided then and there that was where I would order my lunch from today. I can be a creature of habit at times when I like a particular item on a menu and at Souvlaki Fast, I typically order the Gyro Platter, which is a tried and true favorite of mine. But today, I decided to try the Ribeye Souvlaki Platter. The Ribeye was supremely marinated in olive oil, red & white vinegar and was very juicy and tender. The platter came with a side of tzatiki, pita, Greek salad and a choice of rice or french fries for $12. Being that it was Friday and considering that I had been pretty good with my diet all week, I opted for the french fries, which I requested extra crispy. (Came out perfect!) The platter was very filling, but did not leave me feeling overly stuffed. Souvlaki Fast has built up a loyal clientele and deservedly so. Visit them at their downtown Boca location in Mizner Plaza (south end of Mizner Park) on NE 2nd St. or their new location opening up soon on the corner of Spanish River Blvd & Fed Hwy. 122 NE 2nd St. Boca Raton 33432 561-395-1906 http://www.souvlakifast.com/ Until we eat again, I send you delicious wishes, xo Denise

Friday, April 1, 2011

Nino's of Boca Raton

Hello Fellow Foodies, I realize I haven't blogged in a while and it's not because I haven't been out and about sampling Boca's finest, but I've just been so darn busy. Today, as I am enjoying my left overs from my dinner the other night, I became inspired to do a little post. My husband and I had an appointment to see our tax advisor over in the Fifth Avenue Shops a couple days ago and we decided to try out the newly opened Italian restaurant called Nino's of Boca Raton, which opened in the former location of Anna Vincenzo's. Nino's of Boca Raton might be new to East Boca, but has been serving up happy customers in Central Boca for over 30 years. On the night we went in to dine the place was packed, which was surprising not only because they had only been open for a few weeks, but it was a Wednesday evening. The menu was quite extensive, but we finally were able to make a decision. I ordered the Pasta Fagioli soup and my husband ordered the Lentil soup. Since I was watching my carbs, I asked the waitress if it was possible to go light on the pasta and she happily offered to accommodate by making sure that I was given mostly broth. We both enjoyed our soups and the garlic rolls that were promptly brought to our table. Again, watching the carbs, I picked around the rolls and just concentrated on what I thought was the best part, the crunchy top that was loaded with freshly minced garlic. We ordered a nice bottle of Montepulciano de Abruzzo which we were delighted with. For our entrees, I order the Veal Chop Bruschetta ($20.50). The veal was pounded & breaded in seasoned bread crumbs, sauteed in olive oil, then topped with diced Roma tomatoes, red onions & basil. I had a choice of sides which were included (fries - which we both thought was particularly odd- or pasta), but opted for the healthier choice of sauteed broccoli with fresh garlic & oil for an upcharge of $2.00 (it was worth every penny!) My husband ordered the Veal Marsala ($18.50) which consisted of veal scallopini sauteed with mushrooms in a Marsala wine sauce with a touch of demi glaze. He opted for a side of spaghetti. All in all, we enjoyed the meal and felt that the bill was reasonable, coming in at under $70 including the nice bottle of wine. Nino's of Boca Raton II is located in the Fifth Avenue Shops, 1930 N.E. 5th Ave. 561-362-8990 www.ninosofboca.com Until we eat again, I send you delicious wishes xo, Denise