The other night, my wife and I joined two other couples for dinner at Andrea's (http://www.andreasrestaurantsrq.com/), an intimate and authentic Italian restaurant on Siesta Drive in Sarasota. All of us enjoyed our meals. Mine was superb.
Andrea's had been recommended by one of the couples who joined us because of a previous delightful dining experience there.
I tried and loved two Italian dishes I had long wanted to try - Vitello Tonnato and Veal Ossobuco. They were fantastic. My wife had the Veal "Three Musketeers" Milan style - three types of breaded veal cutlet. She enjoyed her meal, but did not consider it exceptional.
The Vitello Tonnato appetizer is an interesting dish - a very thin slice of veal in a creamy, tuna-flavored sauce. It is from the Piedmont (Piemonte) Region of northwest Italy. The dish sounds strange, but it is fantastic. I can't wait to have it again. Andrea's offers it in two sizes - small for $15 and large for $30.
The Ossobuco with Saffron Risotto was absolutely incredible. This is another traditional dish from the Piedmont, specifically from Milan. It comprises veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth for $30.
The three types of breaded veal in my wife's main course were - with parmesan cheese, with caperberry and lemon, and with fresh greens and tomato. It was $23.95. She also ordered a delicious side of roast potatoes for $3.95.
Andrea's is known for its wonderful ravioli. One of our fellow diners let me try one of hers. It was terrific.
Another fellow diner really enjoyed her veal saltimbocca topped with fresh sage and parma ham, and cooked in white wine, for $23.95. (Saltimbocca means, "jumps in the mouth.")
The wine list at Andrea's includes a nice mix of Italian wines, but prices are on the high side. However, I found a reasonably priced and tasty Langhe Nebbiolo - a 2012 Damilano Marghe for $50. The Langhe is in the Piedmont and is the best wine growing area of northwest Italy. Nebbiolo is the wonderful grape used in some of Italy's best reds - Barolo and Barbaresco. (I have read that Andrea's charges a $25 corkage fee.)
After dinner, I had a very nice espresso for $3.
Andrea's pastas are home-made, and the restaurant offers a special ravioli-of-the-day.
The reason that so many of the above dishes and the wine I had are from the Piedmont is that owner and chef Andrea is from the Piedmont town of Pallanza on Lake Maggiore.
In addition to dishes from the Piedmont, Andrea's offers dishes from other parts of Italy; e.g., Florentine T-Bone Steak (Bistecca alla Fiorentina) and Pappardelle with white truffle and wild mushroom cream sauce. (Pappardelle originated in Tuscany.)
I would strongly recommend making reservations if you plan to try Andrea's.
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