Boca Food Finds: Pellegrino's of Boca

Cold Antipasto

Hello Fellow Foodies,

Calamari Fritti

Last night I had the pleasure of dining at Pellegrino's Ristorante in Boca Raton. Formerly in Deerfield Beach, this Zagat-rated gem of a restaurant is owned and operated by Bobby Pellegrino (of Rao family fame). As I stepped on premise and proceeded past the opened decorative black gate, I entered the spacious patio, where the flat screen tv playing Visions of Italy immediately caught my eye. To accompany the visual, there was nice Italian ambient music playing in the background. I began to feel myself being transported to the country I feel such a

strong tie to. I organized a foodie event here and met my friends at the bar for a pre-dinner cocktail reception. I started with a nice generous pour of the house Cab. Appetizers soon followed and before long everyone arrived and we took our seats at a long table that had been pre set for our group. Tonight, we were dining family style. First up was a Cold Antipasto, which consisted of imported mixed Italian cold cuts, cheeses, roasted peppers & olives. Delish and quite artistically displayed! Next out came the Calamari Fritti and the Clams Oreganate. Both were packed with flavor and beautifully presented.

Clams Oreganate

Pollo alla Limone

A pasta dish followed- Penne Rigati Filetto di Pomodoro (penne with pancetta, onions & plum tomatoes). Cooked to al dente perfection and topped with just the right amount of sauce, this was a great selection. The entrees I had selected for the group were the Pollo alla Limone (broiled chicken on the bone, cut to bite size pieces with a lemon garlic marinade. We really enjoyed this dish; the chicken was cooked perfectly and the lemon/garlic sauce was off the charts. Other entrees included the Eggplant Parmigiana and the Sausage & Peppers. The dishes were so vibrant, both in color and taste. Each bite was better than the previous one. The service was excellent too.

Our wait staff was attentive to our needs and delivered our food and drinks promptly. Just as we began to wind down, with our tummy's full and our wine glasses empty, our waiter, under the direction of Bobby Pellegrino, had brought out a few specialty desserts and coffees, on the house. What an unexpected surprise and pleasure. As we got up from the table and said our good byes, we thanked our wonderful host for a lovely evening and told him we'd be back, and that is a promise, I for one look forward to keeping.

Pellegrino's is located at 3360 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton. 561-368-5520. Their website is: www.PellegrinosOfBoca.com