Published On: Sat, Jun 9th, 2012

CAFÉ LOREDANA – ITALIAN WITH A TWIST

This intimate restaurant offers delicious unique dinners from Tuesdays through Sundays from 4:30PM to 10PM (only 9PM on Sundays), presenting appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts only.

We sampled three of their six appetizers and were so very pleased with them all. A huge Portobello mushroom, stuffed with leaf spinach then topped with fresh mozzarella and tomato rested in a delicious pool of garlic white wine basil sauce, a sweet tasting dish. We had their “Pisano” – eggplant battered and stuffed with excellent ricotta cheese and spinach, this in a tomato basil sauce. The “Hotsy Totsy” listed is giant shrimp sautéed in a somewhat spicy garlic marinara sauce, tangy – not too spicy. Also available is garlic crostini with mozzarella or goat cheese, 6 baby meatballs in a marinara basil sauce and lastly, mussels sautéed in white wine marinara basil sauce with topping of melted mozzarella. These three we will report on next visit.

Six salads are listed – the Caesar had crisp romaine shards with shaved parmesan, croutons and bathed in a perfect Caesar dressing – if you prefer, top this with a few anchovies – just ask your server. Another salad winner was the “Grand Padano”-baby greens, sour apple thin slices plus strawberries with EVO balsamic vinaigrette and Padano parmesan. Try a sample of their homemade special dressing of honey, mustard and Vidalia onion – great! The other 4 salads feature ingredients such as figs, prosciutto, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, artichokes, red peppers and more. Check the menu for details and…chose either a single or double portion available.

An even 20 entrees tempt the palate – we had sole picatta in white wine lemon butter sauce topped with jumbo crab meat over a bed of spinach, then with asparagus! The fish was juicy and flavorful and just fine. Veal Milanese Marsala had perfect veal slices covered with mozzarella and finished with a marsala mushroom sauce. The Veal di Carla – stuffed with asparagus and parmesan cheese with a bland amaretto cream sauce– just passable in the flavor department. We had two chicken choices – “Chicken Chazio”- breast of bird layered with eggplant, tomato and mozzarella, then baked in a great marinara basil sauce. The “Chicken Marisa” – breast sautéed in white wine lemon butter sauce with asparagus, sundried tomato, portabella and shitake mushrooms plus dollops of goat cheese. Both these chicken dishes are magnificent and should not be missed.
The menu’s “3 Layer Pork Chop” was a half inch thick piece of pork layered with portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers and tomatoes covered with melted mozzarella in garlic rosemary basil sauce, served with home fried Idaho potato chips. The meat was tender, very juicy with full flavor then enhanced with the featured ingredients. Don’t miss this one.

To briefly list the balance of the entrees, without descriptions would be a crime…however, you may choose Alaskan salmon, apple chicken, seafood Stefanos shrimp Reno, hog snapper, jumbo shrimp and scallop scampi, various pastas – all listed are well enchanced.

We tried all four desserts available – a Versuvio cake consisting of a chocolate brownie, cheesecake and chocolate mousse – a portion large enough for two. They had a tortufo ice cream ball enveloped in dark chocolate, a rich, rich chocolate mousse cake to tempt any chocoholic. The ricotta cheesecake with strawberries was just a bit too dry and bland – but you may prefer it to a creamy version.

Serving only beer and wine – we noted 6 white wines by bottle, 2 of them by glass. The red wines, 10 in number by bottle, 4 of them by glass.
FYI – There is a 9 entrée choice early bird menu, served from 4:30PM to 6:15PM, daily – pricing is quite reasonable for dinners and early birds, considering the quality, taste and preparation of your dish.

Café Loredana is located in a 100 year old historic house at 85 SE 6th Ave. Delray (1 block south of Atlantic) 272-8887. The Café seats 15 outside and another 50 within. Their menu changes yearly and Chef does have specials!

This can be cozy, occasionally noisy place but we considered the fine food and service before we suggested that you – Go and enjoy!

About the Author

Discover more from The Boca Raton Tribune

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading