Our little secret: Andrea's is almost too good to share. Plus, acing the calamari test at Galileo and a good deal at Pei Wei. (2025)

Andrea's is one of those perfect little gems I almost hate towrite about. On the one hand, I owe it to you, the reader, to disclosethat a sublime evening at table in elegant and convivial surroundingsawaits you behind the frosted glass door in a strip center oppositeWestfield Southgate. On the other hand, if even more people know thesecret, will I ever again be able to get a table myself on short notice?You see my dilemma.

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On the evening of our review visit, Colette and I were seatedpromptly at a well-placed table for two in a spare white-walled diningroom filled with regulars being treated like old friends by the waitstaff and the chef himself. When our waiter greeted us warmly as newfriends and made a spot-on recommendation for a lightly oaked Italianchardonnay as an aperitif, we knew we were in good hands and tackled themenu with great expectations.

As we sipped and pondered our options, excellent warm breadaccompanied by dabs of savory tapenade, hummus with basil and eminentlyspreadable chive butter arrived at the perfect moment, always a goodsign both of the wait staff's timing and the kitchen'sattention to detail. Oh, and even before the wine arrived we weretreated to delightful little squares of veggie frittata as an amusebouche. That, too, was just right.

Our contributing food and wine editor, chef Judi Gallagher, is madfor Andrea's and advised me that under no circumstances was I tofail to order the pork belly appetizer ($9). I now owe chef Judi a bigfavor. You might want to think of the pork belly itself, a thick butmindfully portioned slab of belly meat with a yummy fat layer runningthrough it, as pancetta, which, in essence, it is. In this dish it isgrilled until perfectly tender and served over red borlotti beans, anItalian variety of cranberry bean, fragrant with the celestial tang ofaged balsamic vinegar. Although the menu changes with the season atAndrea's, this divine starter has survived two iterations, and wecan only hope it will never disappear.

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Across the table Colette tucked into a pretty salad ($11) oforganic spinach crowned with pears poached in Amarone, a rich andintense Italian red wine blended from corvina, rondinella and molinaragrapes picked ripe and allowed to dry before vinification. The pearsabsorb the wine readily and are almost black as a result, delighting theeye atop the hand-picked greens before enchanting the palate.

Because veal is prominent on the menu, Colette kindly consented tosample the scallopine done saltimbocca, Italian for "jumps in themouth" ($23). Chef Andrea's version, which does not roll thethin veal medallions but does accent them with prosciutto and sauce themambrosially in a sage-scented Marsala, deserves the epithet. This dishfairly leapt from the plate as Colette inhaled its irresistible aroma.

One of my favorite pastas--and I am a fiend for fresh housemadepastas--is gnocchi, the light little dumplings made most often thesedays not from wheat but potatoes. And my favorite way to dress them isin a sinfully rich Gorgonzola sauce accented with walnuts, which isexactly how they are served here ($17). I swooned at first bite, andsubsequent bites only reinforced my good opinion.

In touring the dining room, as we always do on a first visit to arestaurant, we happened upon the cheese trolley. When it came time fordessert, we didn't have to think a nanosecond before ordering. Wechose the small tray ($14) and found it just right for sharing.

The cheeses were served, not with a disquisition on their originsbut with a cheerful buon appetito! As a result I can't recite thefive varieties we sampled, but I don't care. The happy truth isthat each one was a delicious revelation, and the bite of quince thataccompanied them was exactly the understated foil they deserved.

Before we go, a word about the wine list is in order, since ChefAndrea quite rightly offers his intimate restaurant as the embodiment of"the art of food and wine." After a double handful ofwell-chosen wines offered by the glass as well as the bottle,Andrea's list kicks into maximum overdrive, roaming the wineregions of the world, especially Italy, France and the United States,and sampling excellent wines at nearly every price point, from ourhandsome Siema chardonnay from Italy at $30 to fabled French bottles ashigh as $2,000. If you can't find a wine to suit your taste andpurse here, you're not likely to be satisfied anywhere.

Andrea's

2085 Siesta Drive, Sarasota

Reservations (strongly recommended): (941) 951-9200

Hours: 5-10 p.m. every day

Cards: Visa and MasterCard

Handicapped accessible: yes

Parking: ample in lot

UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Galileo meets a critic's test.

We are pleased to report that Galileo, a traditional NorthernItalian restaurant in the Burns Court space that once hosted Uva Rara,passed our calamari test with its colors flying. The baby squid ($9.25)were flash fried to a crunchy, tender toothsomeness that requirednothing but a light spritz of fresh lemon to achieve full savor,although the ramekin of warm tomato basil sauce served with them willdelight those addicted to dipping.

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Constant readers know that if we spy fried calamari on a menu at arestaurant that wishes to stake a claim to fine dining, tasting it willbe our first order of business. This is a simple dish that is easy toruin, either by cheaping out on the squid or by overcooking oroversaucing. Galileo handled the challenge with ease.

A second starter was just as successful. Plump Prince Edward Island mussels ($9.50) arrived fragrant and warm in a broth of white wine,garlic and herbs. Luckily, good bread was at hand to mop up the nectarleft in the bottom of the bowl.

The restaurant serves a fair amount of fish and shellfish,including three different classic combos sauced and served overlinguine, but one of the biggest hits among regulars is pesce San Pietroin cartocchio ($23.95): filet of John Dory roasted in parchment withshrimp and spinach. Having tasted it, we see why it's a favorite.John Dory is a gorgeous white fish, mild and a little sweet, and cookingit in a parchment bag topped with orange slices and a bit of shavedfennel brings its savor brilliantly to life. A touch of Sambuca doesn't hurt, either.

Colette went to the pasta list for her main course, choosing asignature dish of which Galileo is justly proud. Fiocchi ala Parma($21.95) stuffs little pasta purses with Bosc pears and an Italian creamcheese called Robiolla. The list of ingredients could have stopped rightthere with the beaming couple at center stage. Galileo, however, tossesthe filled purses with grilled chicken and Parma ham in a rich andcreamy sauce, thus raising the bar. Plan on taking about half of it homefor the next day's lunch.

We wrestled long and hard with a diverse and tempting menu beforelocking in these four choices that seemed to fairly represent thevariety on offer. Next time, though, it's the pan-roasted dayboatscallops and potato gnocchi in a sundried tomato and mushroom buttersauce ($23.95) for me, while Colette has preselected the hanger steakwith Gorgonzola and a garlic herb crust ($22.95), the dish she almostfell for this time.

We considered the cannoli for dessert but ended up polishing off acreamy tiramisu ($7.50), reveling in the cool flavors of mascarpone andespresso-soaked ladyfingers, before heading out the door well satisfied.The only quibble I have is with the otherwise agreeable wine list: Thereis not a bubble to be had. Surely, for sparkling wine fans like us, atoken prosecco wouldn't be too much to ask.

Galileo

443 Burns Court, Sarasota

Reservations: (941) 330-2811 or (941) 237-8530

Dinner: from 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Cards: Visa, MasterCard, Am Ex

Handicapped accessible: yes

Parking: on street

what I'm drinking

This past year I came to know better and appreciate more the winesof Chile and Argentina. Judging by their proliferation on local retailshelves and restaurant wine lists, I wasn't alone.

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Along the Andean Cordillera is strung a bead of semiaridhigh-elevation vineyards that produce superb grapes, especially of themalbec and carmenere varieties. I've sampled a number of the winesmade from these grapes and been impressed first with their consistenthigh quality and second with their low price. Following are half a dozennotes that should give you a good idea of the range available.

Gascon Malbec 2007 ($13): The malbec grape was transplanted fromits native France in the mid-19th century. The Don Miguel Gascon wineryhas been producing wines from the grape since 1884, and the finesse ithas achieved over the years shows clearly in the 2007. It is a full andsleek red wine, with well-rounded, mouth-filling tastes of dark berries,black cherry and even a little coffee up front and a long complex finishthat lingers agreeably on the back of the tongue.

Alamos Malbec 2008 ($11): This malbec is more austere than theGascon, nearly brooding in its intensity. The nose is dark fruit with asharp spice edge. On the tongue those dark fruits, especially raisin andboth ripe plum and prune, intensify and take on the savor of wood smoke.Well-developed tannins lend it admirable structure and carry through along, dry finish underlined by a note of black tea.

Castillero del Diablo Carmenere 2007 ($9): The carmenere grape,considered one of the six original red grapes of Bordeaux, is rare inFrance these days but is thriving in Chile. The 2007 from Concha y Torois an extraordinary wine for the price, showing notes of bell pepper,currant and tobacco with a satisfyingly medium-long finish and astructure that should repay cellaring for a couple of years.

Santa Alicia Reserva Carmenere 2006 ($8): The first clue to thiswine's intensity is its deep violet color, a suggestion quicklyconfirmed by its deep aromas of dark fruit, rich earth and a hint ofsmoke. It quickly opens up to reveal a beguiling complexity compoundedof black plum, dark chocolate, ripe cherry, burnished leather andconcentrated spice.

Gracia de Chile Sauvignon Blanc 2008 ($9): Unlike those in itssuperb cousins from New Zealand, the dominant aromas in this crisplyacidic Chilean wine are herbal, especially grass and mint. The same sortof difference characterizes the opening notes on the palate: Instead ofthe expected snap of grapefruit, we get the tang of gooseberry. There isplenty of fruit in the middle, notably pear, melon and apple with citrusovertones, leading to a medium long, medium dry but fresh finish.

Crios de Susana Balbo Rose of Malbec 2008 ($10): This is adelightfully flirty wine, all blushes and giggles and so pretty in pink.She hails from the Mendoza region of Argentina, from the presses ofDominio del Plata. Her bouquet is lightly floral and fresh, butit's the first sip that will light up your brainstem with anirresistible rush of ripe strawberries, raspberries and cherriestempered by just a hint of astringent gooseberry. She finishes cleanly,too, no mean feat with all that richness rushing at you upfront.

An editor, writer and online publisher, John Bancroft has reviewedrestaurants, books, movies and music for many magazines, Web sites andnewspapers, most recently for the St. Petersburg Times.

Read all our restaurant reviews at sarasotamagazine.com

INSEASON

Chef Judi Gallagher serves up the flavors of spring with cilantro.

Spring and fall are the perfect times to grow herbs. One of myfavorites, though considered a love-it or-hate-it plant, is cilantro. Ifyou like cilantro, you taste the flavor of sweet grass, similar to ablend of parsley and basil. If you do not like cilantro, it just plaintastes like soap. Used most commonly in Mexican, Indian and Vietnamesecooking, cilantro has become extremely popular as a kitchen windowsillsubstitute in soups, salsas and even pasta dishes.

Seeds from the cilantro plant are called coriander, a most distincttaste that can enhance barbecue. However, used in abundance it willoverpower a dish. Although harvesting these seeds is difficult for thehome grower, planting cilantro in March will produce a nicefull-flavored batch within eight weeks. Once harvested, you will need toplant more; cilantro does not extract flavor when dried and does notextend its growth like rosemary.

Try blending cilantro, fresh lime juice and sour cream to make asmooth and flavorful sauce for fish tacos and chopped cabbage salad. Oneof my favorite ways to use it is in this crisp and flavorful jicama salad.

JICAMA SALAD

2-3 cups peeled, cubed jicama4 oranges, chopped, peeled4 green onions, choppedSplash rice wine vinegar1/4 cup chopped cilantro1 tablespoon lime juice1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt

Mix jicama, oranges, onions, cilantro and chill 4 to 6 hours. Drainoff juice and toss with lime juice, oil and sour cream just beforeserving. Salt to taste.

Try grilling salmon with a little mandarin orange juice orpineapple juice to serve as a perfect protein balance. Of course, youcan always just add chilled jumbo shrimp as well.

GOODDEAL

Noodle news.

The Place: Pei Wei Asian Diner; 8511 Cooper Creek Blvd., Sarasota;(941) 359-8570.

The Fare: This fast food offshoot of the P.F. Chang's ChinaBistro chain offers various rice and noodle bowls and just short of adozen other familiar dishes hailing from Thailand, China and Korea in abreezy, casual atmosphere.

The Drill: The first thing you see as you enter is threeilluminated boards listing dishes to be ordered at a counter before yousit down. You'll just about have time to unfold your paper napkinbefore a cheerful server arrives with the food. A handful of beers andwines by the glass are available.

The Bottom Line: You'll get the most bang for your buck at PeiWei if you think of it primarily as a noodle shop. Ordering a dishfamiliar from P.F. Chang's menu could be disappointing, but thenoodles are reliable. That board offers two rice bowls and four noodlebowls, all priced at $6.95 with your choice of chicken, beef or veggiesplus tofu; add shrimp for an additional dollar.

The Dan Dan Noodles with minced chicken in a chile garlic searedsoy sauce over egg noodles garnished with fresh cucumber strips andscallions are my favorite, but another good bet would be the BlazingThai Noodles, featuring your choice of meat or veggies in a black peppersauce over rice noodles. Start with tasty, crispy spring rolls at $3.95for two or $6.95 for six, and you have an agreeable lunch in a hurry.