No pizza but it's FAST Italian food??? ... it's italio!

italio CLOSED

Modern Italian Kitchen

2151 N. Federal Hwy

Fort Lauderdale 33305

Lunch, dinner. Catering available

Italiokitchen.com

954-703-1999

By Jane Feehan 

It’s fast Italian food they say. The words fast and Italian are seldom found in the same sentence unless pizza is involved so I entered recent newcomer to Fort Lauderdale’s fast food scene, italio, a skeptic.

I left the place sold on its concept.

OK, so one won’t find Nana’s Sunday gravy here or classics such as lasagna, ravioli or gnocchi, but if you’re in the mood for something tasty, Italian, inexpensive and totally casual, it’s here. They also serve wine and beer.

There's spaghetti—whole wheat or white flour—with a choice of seven hot (alfredo, pomodoro, spicy prima rosa) or cold sauces (fresh basil, sun-dried tomato, roasted red pepper, arrabbiata). Spicy prima rosa was flavorful and light on the oil.  italio also offers toppings that morph the pasta bowls into complete entrées with a choice of vegetables, meatballs, sausage, steak, shrimp or chicken.

They’ll put together a salad with a variety of veggies and toss it on the spot with a dressing. Very fresh.  Italio

also makes an Italian wrap (piadina) with the same mix and match of toppings they serve with the pasta. Dessert is limited to cannoli chips but it’s enough.

Fill out the meal with a breadstick, soup or calamari and it’s starting to taste like an Italian Sunday meal at someone’s house, if not Nana’s.

The same menu is available lunch and dinner; italio is doing a brisk business during both meal times. A children's menu offers the same choices but at reduced prices. With a dining room set apart from the serving counter, italio may not feel like a fast food joint. 

Currently, there are three italio restaurants in Florida—Winter Park, Fort Lauderdale, Boca—and one in Orland Park, IL; others are planned for Coconut Creek,  Orlando, and Tampa. The Fort Lauderdale store sits across Federal Highway from Whole Foods Market with easy parking in the rear and an outdoor patio in front. 

Thumbs up for italio. Buon appetito! 

Tags: Fast Italian food in Fort Lauderdale, fast Italian food in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale staurants, party catering

Uncle Tai's: Boca's best for classy Asian dining

Uncle Tai’s CLOSED

5250 Town Center Circle

Boca Raton, Florida

Lunch, Monday-Saturday: 11:30-2:30 p.m.

Dinner:  Weekdays 5-10 p.m., Weekends, 5- 10:30 p.m.

Take out and delivery available

561-368-8806

uncle-tais.com

By Jane Feehan

I’ve been to Uncle Tai’s in Houston (now closed) and was happy to see the same people open one in Boca Raton. It’s elegant dining, with a broad array of Hunan, Szechuan and other familiar styles of Chinese cuisine.

Operator Howard Tai (Chi Hwa), the consummate host, works hard to please patrons. He’s also good at remembering people. My sister hadn’t seen him for more than five years back in Houston when he called out her name at a Chinese New Year’s event at the Boca Town Center.

Since that fortuitous encounter, we’ve dined at Uncle Tai’s for special occasions. We usually begin our visits with a glass of wine in their cozy, wood-paneled bar. The columned dining room dominated by an expansive Chinese mural, and tables draped in white and red set the mood for what’s to follow.

The menu provides an impressive choice of typical and not-so-typical fare for a Chinese eatery. Venison and lamb join fresh fish and lobster, beef and poultry as meal possibilities.  Dishes are prepared beautifully with the spices that make Chinese cuisine one of the world’s most acclaimed. Sesame fried bananas with ice cream is my choice to top off a meal and clear the palate. Servers deliver all with the cool precision of professionals.

Uncle Tai’s draws corporate types as well as shoppers at lunch, where the patio is a popular spot. The patio is also available at dinner and just as welcoming as the indoor dining room.

Service: excellent. Reservations suggested on weekends.

  

Tags; Chinese restaurant in Boca Raton, fine dining in Boca Raton, upscale Chinese restaurant in Boca, South Florida dining, Asian dining, lunch in Boca