Tavolino Della Nonna (Coral Springs)
***** Tavolino Della Nonna, 10181 West Sample Road, Coral Springs, Florida 33065 (954) 509-0046.
Last night I ate in Tavolino Della Nonna…a terrific white tablecloth Italian joint located in Coral Springs. Just so you know…A couple of you guys wrote to me and told me that I had to try this joint…so, old Jeff gave Tavolino a shot.
Anyway…Tavolino has been in business for something like 2-years. For you GPS types out there, it is located on Sample Road, within short walking distance of both Pizza Time and DeSalvo’s the well known “red sauce” joints. Tavolino is-not a pizza joint…it’s a semi-upscale restaurant with both indoor and outdoor patio seating…but don’t worry your tee shirt-shorts ensemble will work. At this juncture take a look at Tavolina’s website www.tavolinorestaurant.com for menu/prices/photos.
Like I said before, semi-upscale, but the guys running this joint make you feel like an old friend…when you eat there, you’ll see what I am talking about. The owners–shall we say, are very visible and make sure that everything is running just right. Last night, I watched as they made the rounds to each and every table, kibbitizing (in an Italian restaurant?) and making people “try” this and “that”…
Before I talk food, let me tell you about a cute “idea” that the joint has decor-wise…one little side room, is decorated Ralph & Alice Kramden, 328 Chauncey Street…there is a formica table circa 1955 that seats 6-maybe-8…so if this type of thing floats your boat, call ahead and reserve that “table.”
Onto the food…last night I “tried”– meatball appetizer ($11), tortellini appetizer ($13), veal parmigiana ($23), chicken scarpariello (on bone) ($21), snapper almondine ($23), grilled chicken/pasta ($17)…the food is absolutely delicious.
Just so you know…Tavolino isn’t a $13.95-$16.95 soup or salad-entree-pasta side-garlic rolls joint…there is no pizza, subs, calzones or stromboli. Figure on spending–something like 40-50 bucks a head for a great meal. Trust me on this one, the food runs absolute circles around most of the Italian joints down here. I know that the ala carte menu may “scare” some of you guys…the house salad is big enough to feed two as are the side pasta dishes, so if you order the “right way” you won’t have to get a second-job to pay the tab. Our waitress was super-helpful on “picks” etc…last night, they had a “strolling” magician who worked all the tables…how he changed those $1 bills into $100 bills is beyond me.
Since I am on the Hollywood Cookie Diet, I passed on dessert. I will tell you, that the dessert tray looked absolutely incredible and that everything including the joint’s bread are made in house.
You guys know that I eat in Italian joints all the time…I am telling you, that Tavolino is one of the better restaurants in South Florida. You definitely want to try this one.
Tavolino is open Tuesday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 4pm-11pm and Sunday 4pm-10pm, the joint is closed on Monday.
Jeff,
Just a little note thanking you for the wonderful review. I know you shoot straight and we appreciate your warm comments. I welcome you and your lovely family back and I won’t even charge for the bad jokes. Thanks again,
Ed Pozzuoli
YOU SOUND LIKE YOU ENJOY GOOD RESTAURANTS. IS THERE A RESTAURANT IN THE AREA THAT SERVES PIZZA THAT HAS A THIN CRUST AND GOOD INGREDIANTS LIKE DIFARA’S IN BROOKLYN. TOPPINGS AND CRUST THAT HAVE FLAVOR.
GAIL: Just had a chance to read your comment.
As a Brooklyn Boy, I am quite familiar with Difara’s…you are talking one of the top pizza joints in the United States. With that in mind, check my review 6/29/09 The Best 17 “Regular” Pizza Joints In South Florida…most of them make some real good pizza…but DiFara’s is in a class of its own.
Thanks for reading…
We ate at Tavolino tonight for Mothers Day..Although the food was good we were not happy with our waiter who was rather smug. As we entered the restaurant and waited to be seated we felt as if we had inconvenienced the gent who seated us by him saying “We will find you a table somewhere in the back.” We asked for the empty table in the front but we were told “No no you cant sit there.” We just felt “uncomfortable” to say the least. We will not return as food is not the only reason to choose a restaurant. I am a fair diner. We drove from Boca Raton and although we enjoyed each others company again this is another restaurant in Coral Springs we will not return too. I’ve lived in Coral Springs ten years and in Boca Raton fourteen years and still feel so much more comfortable in Boca Raton. Good Luck to you all I just had to say how we felt.
sun sentinel gave them 3 1/2 out of 4 stars this morning. a year after jeff beat them there.