NONA IN THE KITCHEN - AND IT SHOWS!
Looking for an amazing meal, stop reading and book your reservation here!
This is the best Italian food in Florida, period. So let me qualify:
1. I'm in the foodservice business and get to eat at the finest restaurants in the country.
2. I'm American-Italian, and grew up with Nona and Grampa Tony making Sunday dinner...I know amazing authentic rustic Italian cooking.
3. I'm from Jersey, where Italian eateries were a cornerstone of our culture growing up.
4. I (and my entire family) love to cook and frequently can be found slicing garlic at 7am to start our gravy.
Ok, pedigree out of the way let's get into the review:
Let's start with the family, all of whom are Italian, in the kitchen at D'Corato and absolutely warm and loving people that just pour into their craft. And making family meals, is their craft.
The restaurant is beautiful inside...it feels like an eatery you'd find somewhere off the coast of Amalfi. Cozy, clean, warm, without being pretentious or 'try hard'. You find yourself surprisingly at home, comfortable and completely immersed in community.
What is dinner like here...well for our party of 8, it was an un-rushed, belly swelling multi-coarse culinary experience.
We started with real Italian bread (you know, crunch exterior/soft airy interior and actual flavor) that was baked just for us and served fresh out of the oven. This was served with a wonder EEOV that had been seasoned and was bursting with flavor. We didn't just get a balsamic to dip in, Vincenzo made us a balsamic reduction that was to die for.
Vinny's mom went to work preparing a stuffed gnocchi sautéed in butter, and served in a spinach/Asiago garlic sauce that was so over the top we literally fought of both of our orders. This dish alone would have put 99% of Italian chefs to shame. It was light and fluffy (as a handmade gnocchi should be) but the sauté added a toasty texture that when introduced to the sauce left us pulling up videos of the last batch of homemade gnocchi my family made and wondering "wth did we do wrong lol"
Wine selection was fantastic and likely deserve a separate review by someone better versed than I. In short, whatever they recommend, drink.
Entrees were Saltimbocca, Veal Marsala, Veal Parm, another gnocchi dish, porcini ravioli, and a couple of others....I tried every plate. Several of the dishes are not on my personal favorites they are Italian classics. It takes real stones to even put them on your menu.
Omg!!!
My mother and I quote "best Marsala I've had in my life"
Both daughters (9 Gnocchi & 5 Ravioli) were finished with their adult plates in minutes. Annabella (5) says "These Ravioli are the best at a restaurant, they are even tied with mommy's." I tried them too, didn't want to sleep outside or I would have corrected her, those Ravioli were better than my Nona's!
Everything fresh, everything perfectly seasoned, every dish 100% authentic and exactly how it should be.
My Saltimbocca was the best Saltimbocca I have ever had. Period. Better than Jewel in Jersey or Family Tree. Better than the Italian club in Dallas (sorry chef Giovanni I love you paisano)....AZ, CA, NC, OR, IL, pick a state...this was....the best.
Ever entree was just as good as the last, or better.
When desert and coffee time rolled around we were so stuffed, we could t say no. BTW every plate went back to the kitchen spotless, no one left anything. 8 Italians, 8 spotless plates damn near licked clean.
Cappuccino and and all 3 deserts were a must try...followed up by a pallet cleansing house made lemoncello.
Desert was, again homemade, authentic, and world class good. As was the coffee. We had the tiramisu, a pastry who's name I can't recall, and this almond cream cake dish that all of us are still talking about and trying to find recipes for days later.
We had to go and pay homage to the family, respect due where it is earned snd d'corato has all of my respect.
In summary:
Food: 5*
Authenticity: 5*
Vibe: 5*
Service: 5*
If this place was in my neighborhood I'd eat out 3-5 days a week!
Sarasota, if you don't LOVE d'corato, you don't love real Italian.
If you've never had a meal made by a real Italian family that loves food and the joy it brings people...go to D'Corato today!!!!
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