Mangiamo In Italia
(Let’s Eat In Italy)

here is nothing like dining al fresco in Italy. But my recent experience at Villaggio in Whitestone came close. An immersion in all things Italian, the two-tier restaurant is exquisite, with painted muraled walls, soothing motifs and soft lighting. Upon first entering, one is delighted by the aroma of brick oven pizza, authentic to the trattorias in Italy. Moving up to the dining room, one is transported to the canals of Venice, the hills of Tuscany, and the landscape of Rome.

My companion and I were greeted by brothers Joseph and Dominick Loccisano and Tony Curcuru, co-owners, all of whom bring true Italian hospitality to each and every patron.“We want to give a taste of Italy to Whitestone,” said Joseph. And do they. True to form, the menu was ripe with every dish imaginable… and then some.

“They have a wonderful selection,” commended my companion. Along with the traditional dishes, such as eggplant rollatini, Villaggio also serves carpaccio di manzo, mushroom ravioli, and shrimp curry, among other different things. But before we ordered we were surprised with a foccaccia pizza, topped with sun-dried tomatoes, capers, basil and black olives. The perfect blend of seasonings and spices was juxtaposed nicely to the thin-crusted dough. For appetizers, I opted to try the pepata di cozze (mussels served in wine sauce), while my companion chose caprese di bufala (fresh mozzarella with basil and tomatoes).

The freshness of the mussels was heightened by the infusion of the rich white wine sauce – definitely the best I ever tasted. The caprese, meanwhile, combined such an array of flavors, colors and textures as to mmake my mouth water. My companion comented that the roasted peppers were among the best she had ever tried.

The chef, Maurizio Bortolus, then gave us bruschetta, but he made it his own by topping the braised bread with smoked salmon. It was a true delight. We then moved on to the entrée, for which I choose scaloppini di vitello saltimbocca – medallions of veal with prosciutto, sliced tomatoe and sage in a wine sauce. My companion opted for the veal marsala, sautéed with mushrooms and served in a marshala wine sauce. My dish was extraordinary; the sauce was viscuous and delightful and the veal was extremely tender. The veal marsala was far better than even my grandmother’s.

Full to bursting, we still made room for dessert. I chose coconut ripieno, which was a large coconut shell filled with coconut sorbet and real pieces of coconut, and my companion chose tiramisu, which she truly delighted in. Bortolus, whose talents with cuisine can be compared to none other than Michelangelo, then served us a large platter of mixed fruits, including star fruit, nectarines, pears, grapes, and oranges, and lime sorbet with champagne, which was the perfect way to end the perfect meal. I highly recommend Villaggio, as it has all the elements of a great restaurant – ambience, cuisine, selection and service.

January 19, 2005 - Tonia N. Cimino for DINING OUT - THE QUEENS COURIER