Diva's Italian Fix

Third times a charm as they say…something about this place kept us intrigued enough to try, try again. During one of our other outings in the Gulf Gate area, we saw a little Italian Restaurant and added it to our list of ‘must visit’. The first time we had hoped to dine there it was not open (must have been a Monday), and the next time we visited they were closed (perhaps a holiday) – note to Divas, perhaps best to verify hours of operation….so this time the doors opened for us and we were refreshed with the fragrance of garlic – YUM! Pleasant décor and friendly faces welcomed us and promptly seated us at a nice table in the corner. We were happy to see that many others decided to dine here too. In fact, the couple seated beside us had just finished their meals and were excited by how much they enjoyed theirs. They wanted to give the Divas some suggestions for our order, and cheerfully lifted their glasses to toast ….oh, right! Time for some wine – Diva’s know a nice red wine always helps bring out the best in a meal, especially Italian food. With the guidance of our server we selected the Nero D’Avola 2006 (Sicily) ….”Delicious and fun!” as described by Darling Diva.
For our meals there was some debate, so we settled on appetizers while we continued studying the menu - Diva’s do not like to study – so really we simply continued our conversation with the friendly couple next to us and ordered with their help. The appetizers were; Bruschetta, fresh tomato, olive oil, and fresh basil atop grilled Italian bread; and the Portobello Mushrooms, sautéed with sun-dried tomato, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil, served over polenta. Bruchetta – yes. Portobello Mushrooms – good, not great. Main course choices were; Veal Sorrento (Carnivore Diva), veal scaloppini with prosciutto, eggplant, fresh tomato, and mozzarella cheese, light white wine tomato sauce; and Eggplant Surprise (Veggie Diva), eggplant filled with Ricotta cheese and spinach baked with tomato sauce served with side of angel hair pasta. Delicious to all …was it the wine? Maybe, but more than likely it was the perfect combination of enough garlic, wine, and good service to leave each Diva with a nice warm fuzzy memory of an evening well spent!
Broccolini’s Restaurant, 6525 Superior Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34231 941-927-5100