—The West Coast of Florida from Tampa south to Venice has a wealth of Italian cafes and restaurants. Anyone would have to think twice before trying to find a niche in this crowed scene. Chef Antonio has accepted the challenge and found a promising venue at the Reserve in Sarasota. His concept brings the simple elegance of an Italian ristorante, as distinguished from more casual cafes, bars, and wine bars (trattoria, osteria, enoteca). These restaurant prototypes overlap somewhat but ristorantes have a focus on more formal dinners between 7PM and 10PM (19-23 in Rome). The Reserve by Antonio fits neatly into the classic definition of an Italian ristorante.
—Essentially a small inn with a restaurant and a few rooms for guests, the Reserve occupies a small space just off a circle on Tamiami Trail north of the downtown area of Sarasota in the Historic Central-Cocoanut District and south of the Ringling College of Art and Design. The small indoor seating of perhaps thirty diners occupies the lower floor of a charming old inn. Outdoor seating adds about twenty seats in a small courtyard.
—Chef Antonio, a tall and serious young man, brings his culinary skills directly from Rome. The servers and other staff help recreate the atmosphere of a neighborhood ristorante in Rome or Florence. The featured selections command attention, but the little things make the difference between a restaurant and a ristorante. We see tables dressed in white cloths and set for dinner. Bread arrives at the table in a small brown paper bag, warm and crusty, with a slice of white Italian cheese and honey and a side dish of olive tapenade. We check the wine list while we enjoy tastes of the bread with the cheese and honey and then with the olive spread. The wine list includes a wide variety of Italian, French, USA, and other selections. We opted for the luscious Roero Arneis, Bruno Giacosa, a white variety that has regained a foothold in the Piedmonte region of Italy after disappearing for a time. It has an aromatic nose and white stone fruit flavors that blend with delicate finfish and shellfish tastes. As a contrast, we matched it with a short rib starter on four flat breads that had a wreath of microgreens on pesto oil surrounding it.
—We found the specials intriguing: especially the veal scallopini or rack of lamb. The Mediterranean branzino, divers scallops, duck à la orange, and pork ossobuco sounded tempting as well. Instead we chose a local finfish dish, the grouper Livornese, a thick filet of fresh grouper basted in a light olive oil, garlic, white wine, and tomato sauce presented with cherry tomatoes, black olives, and root vegetables, and the highly recommended lobster risotto in a light and creamy tomato sauce with sections of lobster tail, claw, and head meat. The Arneis wine paired well with each of these choices.
—We shared the limoncello mouse for dessert. This blend of rich whipped cream with fresh fruit and a lady finger came with small glasses of the luxuriously sweet and intense house limoncello.
—The attentive service at the Reserve by Antonio allowed us ample time to consider our choices and good advice when we asked about menu items specials. Clearly the staff appreciates fine dining as much as we do. Some of the little details made an impression on us. After the staff cleared the table next to us, Joanne, from Bavaria after Italy, smoothed the white tablecloth over a wooden tabletop and ironed the tablecloth with a steam iron. We have never seen that done before.
—S. W. Hermansen has used his expertise in econometrics, data science and epidemiology to help develop research databases for the Pentagon, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Agriculture, and Health Resources and Services. He has visited premier vineyards and taste wines from major appellations in California, Oregon, New York State, and internationally from Tuscany and the Piedmont in Italy, the Ribera del Duero in Spain, the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in Australia, and the Otego Valley in New Zealand. Currently he splits time between residences in Chevy Chase, Maryland and St. Armand’s Circle in Florida.
—Rich Hermansen selected has first wine list for a restaurant shortly after graduating from college with a degree in Mathematics. He has extensive service and management experience in the food and wine industry. Family and friends rate him as their favorite chef, bartender, and wine steward. He lives in Severna Park, Maryland.
