Bella Bites
Appetizers are among the highlights at this new Italian chain import.
|
|
|
BRAVO! EXECUTIVE CHEF JOE COLE (LEFT) AND WAITER ALFONZO BROWNING TAKE CARE OF
TWO INGREDIENTS TO BRAVO'S WINNING FORMULA: GOOD FOOD, FAST SERVICE.
|
WHAT: Bravo! Italian Kitchen
CUISINE: Italian
WHEN: Lunch and dinner daily; Sunday brunch
WHERE: 1711 St. Charles Ave., 525-5515
CARDS: Major
It is always refreshing to come across a new and happening restaurant in this
old-world city steeped in tradition. Last week, I had the pleasure of dining at
Bravo! Italian Kitchen, the swank new dining haven located on St. Charles
Avenue just down the street from Al Copeland's neon-inspired Straya.
Plenty of well-heeled people were making the scene on that steamy
Friday night, and the valets were hopping cars faster than lightning. We were
told that there would be a 20-minute wait for our table. I was pleasantly
amused to discover that we were given electronic pocket devices that lit up and
flashed, signaling when it was our turn to dine. We waited at the bar, enjoying
the complimentary, extra-salty, breadsticks and were just getting ready to have
a round of appetizers when we were flashed.
Wary of the fact that this was the eighth restaurant to open in a
chain, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the food was really quite
good, and I will go so far as to say that some of the dishes were outstanding.
The other Bravo! locations include restaurants in Ohio, Indianapolis and
Pittsburgh. A ninth Bravo! is slated to open soon in Metairie. Judging from its
success on St. Charles Avenue, I'll wager that the Metairie location also will
be a hit.
The winning formula can be attributed to good food, fast service, a
casually chic dress code, valet parking and the upscale ambience, which is an
urban take on Neo-classical design. The tall ceilings add luster to the
romantic big band music, the bustling open kitchen, brick hearths at the bar,
Corinthian columns and exposed beams throughout the cavernous dining room.
The prices aren't particularly modest. Wood-grilled items, for
instance, range from $10.95 for chicken Pomodoro to $17.95 for an 8-oz. filet
mignon, while antipasto items range from $6.95 for grilled portobello mushrooms
to $8.95 for ravioli (these two appetizers, I should mention, are among the
best on the menu). Other fetching flourishes include the baskets of flatbread,
the best of which is the Mediterranean, comprised of homemade crust rolled
cracker thin with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta. The flatbreads are
presented in a basket, rising tall above the other dishes, with their ends
pointing up.
In fact, all the breads here are exceptionally good, as are the
gourmet pizzas. Between courses, we feasted on the focaccia made with potato
and caramelized onion, dipping it into the boldly flavored olive oil seasoned
with sun-dried tomato, basil and thyme, and reminisced of sun-splashed beaches
on the Mediterranean.
Grazers who don't always want to eat a full entree will like this
place. I'd recommend sampling several appetizers, which are all quite
wonderful, plus the salads. I can take or leave some of the soups, which are
served in oversized bowls, particularly the asparagus, which is quite watery.
High points go to the wood-grilled salmon salad with crispy leeks, which has
the wonderful counterpoint of warm salmon, cool asparagus spears and crunchy
(almost burned) fried leeks and crumbly feta cheese over cool lettuces laced
with a balsamic vinaigrette ($9.95). You also can get the same wood-grilled
salmon as an entree, only with lemon caper sauce, but why pay $5 more?
The wood-grilled portobello mushroom is a must-try appetizer. The
fresh, sauteed spinach and creamy aioli blend for a memorable, luscious
portobello experience. Other hits include the calamari, which is pleasantly
crisp and lacking the briny taste of the sea, and the incredible ravioli al
Forno, which I also suggest as an entree ($8.95), accompanied by a salad. As an
entree, the ravioli is amply apportioned. Soft pillows of pasta are stuffed
with cheese and baked in a creamy Alfredo sauce laced with pesto, marinara and
bread crumbs. If you enjoy ravioli, don't miss this version.
For a lighter pasta entree, I'd recommend the penne Mediterranean,
which is tossed with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, a dash of olive oil, a
fair amount of feta and centered with crunchy pine nuts ($9.95). If you want
chicken or shrimp added to that, they will accommodate your request. Perhaps
the best pasta we sampled, other than the ravioli, was the shrimp and lobster
capellini, tossed with fresh, plump shellfish and tomato sauce laced with pesto
crumbs and fresh basil ($14.50).
There are several reasonably priced lunch specials, in addition to
a couple of brunch specials on Sundays. The chef, Phil Yandolini, whose
grandmother "Mama Rosalita" inspired some of the recipes, upholds the rich
traditions of his native Tuscany at this pleasant new eatery. The service is
fast, and most dishes arrive piping hot from the open kitchen. Try the Bravo
mochaccino, an oversized cupful of cappuccino laced with Italian chocolate,
and, if you dare, the tartoufo, a decorative chocolate dome layered with white
and chocolate mousse.
|
