We were invited here by our friends Gerry and Marilyn who seem to have an impeccable knack for finding great places with great food and service. I had heard about the restaurant in the past as a popular local radio show host frequently dines there. As we approach the plaza where the restaurant is located we cannot help but notice the vibrant scene in front of the restaurant reminiscent of outdoor cafés in Europe. There was plenty of parking and we parked right in front of the restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant we noticed a small group of people leaving loaded with gifts and balloons; it would seem to have been some sort of celebratory gathering. They were all happy and seemed to have had a really good time. This to me was a very good sign of things to come. We arrived around 5 pm on a Saturday night and the place was already buzzing. The bar and lounge area were nearly full. We made our way back to the hostess desk and met up with our party who were being seated. From the instant that we had been seated our server, Sergio made us feel welcome and brought us water, bread, and a dipping assortment for the bread (Butter, Oil, Roasted Garlic, and Tomato Pesto).
Sergio then explained the specials to us and took our drink orders. Doris had an American Mule made with Tito’s Vodka and I opted for their Filthy Old Fashion both drinks were good pours and masterfully crafted, and Marilyn had a glass of Chardonnay. We then ordered our starters, Nonna’s Meatballs which are 2 large Homemade Brisket Meatballs with Mixed Baby Greens and a side of Fresh Ricotta Cheese and Tavolino’s Signature Pear Pasta topped and filled with Walnut Blanc Fromage Cream Sauce & Roasted Pears. Both dishes were exquisite but I must say the pear pasta was like something that I have never had but definitely now need more of.
O.K. and here come the entrees Marilyn ordered the Shrimp Scampi that consisted of Jumbo (U10) Shrimp Sautéed with Fresh Garlic, Lemon, Butter & White Wine over al dente Linguine {Available as Shrimp Fra Diavolo served with Spicy San Marzano Tomato Sauce} Doris went with the Rigatoni Bolognese that is a House Made Bolognese with Ground Brisket, Berkshire Pork, Dutch Veal, Vidalia Onions, Carrots, Celery, San Marzano Tomato Gravy, Grana Padano, Italian Herbs. There were so many flavors and so delicious. I as usual was undecided so I asked Sergio to choose between the Chicken Francese and the White Linguini Alle Vongole. I must say that he made an excellent choice and brought me the white with perfectly cooked clams and just enough sauce that had the perfect amount of seasoning. One of my pet peeves is when an establishment makes the Linguini Alle Vongole into a soup; this is definitely not the case here. On our next visit, I will try the Francese.
A visit from the manager to make sure everything was okay was a welcome touch. So many establishments lack this level of service. We did not get to meet the Chef but I did see him making his rounds in the dining room. This is a very wonderful restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious with the service to match.
I loved the ambiance of this place because you get a little bit of everything. It gives you the vibe of being in an Old School Italian Restaurant of long ago which included the lounge and live entertainment.
Some of the back histories of the restaurant is it opened in 2007 by the Pozzuoli family and more recently in 2019 was purchased by Sidarth Sethi who continues to build upon the success of an already successful establishment. They are now one of the City of Coral Springs’ Oldest Established Restaurants and are attracting diners from all over Broward & Palm Beach County.
This is a very special and unique location when you enter the front door you have a full bar that seats 15 to 20 people some High Top Lounge Tables and other small tables all situated around the stage. The restaurant has entertainment almost daily anything from Blues to Comedy to Rat Pack-themed entertainment. To the right, you will see a more traditional-style Italian restaurant where you have booths and regular sit-down tables. The dining area is situated on the other side of a soundproof wall so you really do not hear the sounds from the lounge and or entertainment. Also, there’s a small kitchen that is set up like a 1950s Italian Grandma’s Kitchen. It even includes a 13-inch black and white TV that plays I Love Lucy reruns. The kitchen showcases the 1950’s era stove and kitchen sink. You must book this room specifically. They also have a small room in the back that is dedicated to holding events or business presentations. Local Pharmaceutical businesses use it for presentations and small gatherings.
Overall this is truly One of the Best Italian Restaurants in the Coral Springs area. The food is very reminiscent of your grandmother’s cooking. The quality and service here are top-notch. I must recommend that you save room for dessert as they will bring over a dessert tray with approximately 10 to 12 homemade desserts that will knock your socks off. We shared the Ricotta Cheesecake and the Canoli Tower which were both truly a confectioner’s dream come true. Also, be prepared to take food home as the portion sizes are very generous. We definitely plan on returning with family very soon, perhaps to the nightclub as well, after dinner, of course.
