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(June 15, 2007)
When one thinks of Italian dining in Austin, the
choices seem to predominate in the downtown area and in Lakeway. North
Austin has not been fertile ground for owner-operated Italian restaurants;
that is, until the advent of the charming and consistently excellent
Andiamo at Burnet and Rutland.
Owner Joe Melomo and Executive Chef Johnny Braga
have created an oasis of sumptuous tastes and textures in an unassuming
strip mall. The walls of Andiamo are adorned with gorgeous life-like
photos of exotic Italian ports of call. The dishes are no less exotic
and desirable
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The Toretta di Mozzarella is a lovely place
to begin. This is Andiamo's version of caprese salad and it gives
the diner a tower of fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato, and basil
in a lip-smacking balsamic vinaigrette. And do try the Carpesante
Dello Chef which features delicately pan seared sea scallops with
shallots and capers finished in a lovely brandy cream sauce. This
dish went down effortlessly. I loved the flavors.
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Likewise for the Lumache Andiamo. This is sautéed
escargot creatively served with mussels in a white wine sauce. Add a
bit of Anise and some fresh bread and you are doing some serious tasting.
And Johnny's soups are a delight. Take, for example, the Asparagus Soup.
This is light yet ever so compelling. The flavor is subtle, not strong.
But it comes at your palate in delicious waves anchored by an onion
stock. I love it. The soups change daily and one is better than the
next.
The entrees at Andiamo reflect a variety of cuisines
from various areas of Italy. And no meal can be complete for the Balons
without the delicate Gnocchi. These potato dumplings with fontina cheese
have a perfect texture which is critical with gnocchi. And I continually
go back to the Linguine ai Fruitti de Mare. This is a scintillating
mixture of clams, shrimp, mussels, calamari and scallops over al dente
linguine in a perfectly accented roma tomato sauce. The Veal Porcini
comes to the table with all the subtle beauty of the pictures adorning
the walls. The convergence of the delicate scallops of veal along with
porcini mushrooms and an achingly exquisite brandy cream sauce is a
taste celebration. And a must is the Agnello Casalingia, grilled lamb
chops with shitake mushrooms and bell peppers in a white wine reduction.
The lamb is tender and resonant with that unique seared flavor that
fans of lamb will adore.
No meal is complete at Andiamo without the authentic
Naples dessert, the Sfogliatelle which are ricotta filled pastries that
are cone or shell-shaped. They're crispy on the outside and luscious
on the inside. And the delightfully rich Zabaglione is another fine
way to finish one of Johnny's meals.
So go North young man. All the way to Burnet and Rutland. And sample
the gastronomic delights that await at Andiamo.
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