By Gary Nager
When you’re a true “foodie,” but most of the “decent” restaurants in your area are national and regional chains, folks like me who know and appreciate “the good stuff” are just naturally drawn to locally owned, independent restaurants like D’Alessio Italian Ristorante, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel) in December.
Chef and owner Dominick D’Alessio admits to having had some service issues in the year since he opened, but most who have dined at D’Alessio — including yours truly — have raved about the food, which is authentic southern Italian in every respect of the word.
The fact is that there is no other restaurant in New Tampa or Wesley Chapel with homemade pastas, authentic “Neapolitan” (different than New York)-style pizza or the variety of tender veal dishes you’ll find every day at D’Alessio — including what I believe is literally the best veal parmigiana I’ve had anywhere in the Tampa Bay area.
Dominick and his crew continually are adding new special, too, as he finds out what his customers want in terms of Italian cuisine and even entertainment (see below) at the restaurant. He also is in the process of adding a variety of homemade cakes and pies (more on them below), all with that authentic Italian flair.
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I truly believe that the best way to first experience D’Alessio is by having lunch there. Although it might take more than a half-hour total to enjoy your lunch, with the lunch specials starting at just $7.99, and great dishes like the chicken parmigiana lunch portion in the photo (left), spaghetti and meatballs, lasagne and more available, well, let’s just say that you may be able to pay less for lunch but I don’t think you’ll find much better choices anywhere in our area.
In addition to the lunch specials, many regulars at D’Alessio rave about the pizzas, which look like NY-style but with a crisper crust that I really enjoy and the toppings — from the best primavera (veggie) pizza I’ve had to the wonderfully light, sweet Italian sausage and delicate pizza sauce — are truly outstanding.
For dinner, you have to try the veal parmigiana — or any of D’Alessio’s excellent veal (vitello) dishes. Many pizza places and Italian restaurants in the Tampa Bay area don’t even have veal on the menu anymore because it’s expensive and because not enough diners in our area ask for it, but with Dominick hailing from Sicily, where vitello is king…I am glad to get my veal parm “fix” at least once every few weeks.
I’m also partial to grouper, which I’ve enjoyed at D’Alessio with a pink vodka sauce, lemony “Francaise-style” (photo, top left) and in a special dish Dominick says he plans to the menu — homemade cheese raviolis topped with chunks of fresh grouper in a zesty pizzaiola sauce. Yum! There’s also salmon (which I don’t eat) and shrimp (which I can’t eat) on the menu, but definitely try the grouper. It’s a winner!
I also really enjoy D’Alessio’s penne primavera (show above topped with tasty grilled chicken) and Italian sausage marinara and pretty much any dish topped with a red sauce.
Home-Baked Desserts & Now Thurs. Entertainment!
Dominick says that he at one time also owned a pastry shop and he plans to add a full line of custom-baked cakes and pies at D’Alessio, and the desserts I’ve enjoyed there so far have not disappointed me. The authentic Italian tiramisu, cannolis and decadent chocolate mousse are already made on the premises and Dominick says the lemoncello and chocolate mousse cakes, as well as unique cheesecakes (although he says he will use cream cheese instead of the more authentic Italian ricotta for them) are on the way.
D’Alessio also offers delicious espresso and cappuccino, as well as fairly priced Italian and domestic wines by the glass or bottle and Peroni and other beers on draught. Adults 21 and older can even enjoy one free glass of house wine with each adult entrée purchased every Tues.-Thurs., 4 p.m.-7 p.m. only.
And, Dominick recently added DJ dance music with DJ Willie every Thursday evening from 8 p.m.-close. You’ll enjoy disco, salsa, merengue and other Latin dance favorites. There’s even a chance to sing karaoke. And, Dominick says more entertainment evenings will be added if there is demand for them.
D’Alessio Italian Ristorante is located at 2653 BBD Blvd. and is open six days a week for lunch and dinner. It is closed on Monday. For more information, call 406-4889 or visit DAlessioRestaurant.com.
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