Review: Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar

The shrimp and proscuitto fontina sandwich with caper mayonnaise and fresh basil, available at lunch only.

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For Italian, don't overlook this long-standing metro area...

Bravo! is a metro area staple in the Highland Village shopping center at Northside Drive and I-55. Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal have received many culinary and wine awards for their excellent food dishes and expansive wine and drink offerings.

Bravo! is a must visit restaurant whether you are looking for a great power lunch, casual-yet-elegant lunch, a romantic dinner or the fun and hopping bar scene at night.  They specialize in authentic Italian dishes with a southern flair thrown in, adding up to a very pleasing and unique dining experience.

The food: The starters include shrimp, fried risotto balls, delicious herbed flatbread, crab cakes, salmon cakes, and the Bruschetta (to die for great, garlic toast smothered with warm fresh tomatoes and basil). You will also find fried polenta with mushrooms, antipasto, calamari and a soup of the day ($4-$15).

They always feature a lunch special of the day as well as omelets, redfish, salmon, or grilled chicken breast all served up with some fine side items. Salads abound for a lighter meal with field greens, Caesar, spinach and goat cheese, roma tomato and mozzarella, or the towering vegetable Napoleon with eggplant, sun dried tomato pesto, goat cheese, mushrooms, onions, and peppers. The salad add-ons are abundant and excellent toppings for any salad offering, like blackened beef tenderloin, fried oysters, chicken and eggplant, or seared tuna ($4-$15).

Lunch sandwiches (not available after 5 p.m.) are served on their famous focaccia bread with soup or a salad and you will not be disappointed with any offering ($10-$11). The shrimp and prosciutto with fontina, caper mayonnaise, and fresh basil was fabulous and just the right size for a lunch choice. Other offerings are a chicken basil pesto salad sandwich, grilled pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, or Portobello vegetarian. You can add a nice size portion of sweet potato fries ($2) with any sandwich if you can find the room for it.

Pizzas, pizzas, pizzas! Choices abound,  like the excellent quattro formaggio (for the less continental, that’s Italian for “four cheese”),  and are cooked to order on their fine wood fired ovens ($10-$14). Their pizzas can be made from the plentiful menu toppings, combinations, and an always interesting pizza of the day which makes for a fun and new ingredient specialty.

Pasta dishes are always fresh with a lunch and dinner portion side available. Lasagna classic is a must try as it is some of the best you will find anywhere for the authentic, traditional ingredients. There’s spaghetti, crabmeat, shrimp, beef tenderloin, three cheese, linguine and crawfish, scallops, classic fettuccine alfredo, tuna or a risotto of the night served with either angel hair, penne, linguine, or fettuccine pastas that are absolutely classic Italian with authentically fresh ingredients ($10-$21).

Extra-fine dining comes in the form of their entrees of fish, poultry, beef, veal, pork and lamb. You will also find tuna, salmon, redfish, scallops, shrimp, crab, sea bass all with excellent side offerings and unique ingredients. The steaks of filet or rib eye can be complimented with a wide array of toppings and a must try ($16-market price).

Desserts are homemade, divine and easily shared. They offer a wide range of wine or drink offerings to compliment your dessert choice to end your great dining experience.

Bravo offers an abundant pick up catering menu for any event. They are closed on Mondays and are available for private functions.

The drink: Bravo has won the Wine Spectator award of excellence for 13 years and has one of the best wine selections you can find anywhere. They have a full service bar as well that comes alive at night with a huge local following where you can relax with great friends and delicious drinks. They also serve up plenty of tea and coffee and plenty of specialty drinks to round out the large menu.

The scene: Situated on the second level of Highland Village with a beautiful outside eating area and wonderful full window seating, Bravo is the perfect setting for a wonderful dining experience. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, inviting, and quaint all at the same time. You will find the wait staff, management and the entire experience a pleasing destination for lunch, dinner or take the family for their huge weekend brunch.

The bottom line: Excellence, tradition, elegance and deliciousness—all these things are synonymous with Bravo! You will feel comfortable, at home and welcomed and will feast on some of the best entrees and drinks available.

The bar scene is not a loud and rowdy crowd but a nice place to gather with friends or business associates. If you are looking to impress a special someone, Bravo is a definite must in my book. They work efficiently, quietly, and attentively to make your dining experience a memorable one for sure.