Luigino's Pasta and Steakhouse by Shari Katz

The ultimate compliment I could give a restaurant is to say that it's "New York good." Luigino's Pasta and Steakhouse receives that praise from me.

I've been a fairly frequent patron of Luigino's over the last ten years and have been generally satisfied with my experiences here. But never before has this restaurant been more "on" than it is right now. The food is better than ever. The management is fresh and on top of things. The service is professional and attentive, and each of the renovated dining rooms is comfortable and attractive. Every aspect of this operation is in sync to give each diner proper service and attention.

The restaurant has three dining rooms to choose from. The Atrium Room is a large indoor dining room with tables overlooking the beautiful Heathrow Country Club golf course. This room seats 90. The Steak Room is furnished with booths and tables. The décor features Frederick Remington sculptures, and an impressive large wooden wine cabinet with a stained glass top. This room seats 55 and is a good choice to consider for private parties. The outdoor Terrace dining room is a new addition. Complete with a misting system for summer and a heating system for winter, it seats 70 people and overlooks the golf course. It's a wonderful option for those who enjoy outdoor dining. You'll walk past this area when you first enter the restaurant.

Owner Jeno Paulucci's hands-on approach is apparent, whether he's on the premises or not. A large sign bearing his credo, "Quality First . . . Cost Second," hangs prominently in the kitchen as a constant reminder to the staff. It seems to be working.

Executive Chef John Andrich has headed the kitchen since 1997. With more than 30 years' experience as a chef, an extensive background in Italian cuisine, and his training in Italy, not to mention his having been a butcher, Andrich is perfectly suited for this restaurant. He inspects every piece of meat and fish, and accepts only the best. Most of the pasta such as the ravioli, cannelloni, fettuccine, chitarra and more, is handmade by Andrich as well.

With the freshest ingredients, and talented chefs, Luigino's can please any palate.

The steaks, served hot on sizzlers (unless requested otherwise) would rival any premier steakhouse, both in quality and preparation. The beef is delivered three times a week. It is Mid-western corn-fed and center cut. The seafood is flown in fresh daily, and one-plus sushi-grade tuna is flown in from Hawaii. The quality of all of the seafood is superb.

And now, the menu. For starters, the lump crabmeat cocktail is a great choice. Tender claw meat is removed from its shell and served with cocktail sauce and lemon—delicate and refreshing. For dinner or as a shared appetizer, the lobster and crab ravioli is unbeatable. Five jumbo (enormous!) ravioli are stuffed with Maine lobster, lump crabmeat blended with ricotta cheese, and topped with a brandy-lobster sauce. There was more tender seafood inside those five ravioli than is typical for most entrées.

All of the entrées are served with a bread basket and a choice of house salad, Caesar salad or cup of soup. The salad dressings, also house-made, are very good. Steaks include a choice of whipped potatoes, steak fries, or penne pomodoro. Also available are an assortment of side dishes such as sautéed spinach, burgundy mushrooms, asparagus hollandaise and, my personal favorite, creamed spinach au gratin.

My companion thoroughly enjoyed a 16-oz. New York strip steak cooked to a perfect medium, as ordered, with a 5-oz. cold-water lobster tail. He opted for the penne pomodoro as his side item. The fresh tomato sauce was savory and flavorful. I chose that night's seafood special: grilled grouper Florentine. A beautiful piece of grilled grouper rested atop a bed of pasta, spinach and artichoke hearts, and covered in a garlic cream sauce. It was outstanding.

There's something for everyone here, from simply prepared mainstays like grilled seafood and steak selections to saucier and more exotic dishes, such as pumpkin ravioli with a butter and sage hazelnut sauce drizzled with port wine. There's also an extensive variety of traditional Italian favorites.

Dessert is worth saving room for. All were delicious. The standouts for me were the cherry cobbler cheesecake and the chocolate lava cake.

Luigino's features a nice wine list with more than 100 selections, mostly from California and Italy. About 20 wines are available by the glass or half-bottle, both at table or in the full bar in the center of the restaurant.

With the freshest ingredients, and talented chefs, Luigino's can please any palate. I love this restaurant, and I'm confident that you will, too.

S

Luigino's Pasta and Steakhouse
Market Square, 120 International Pkwy. • Heathrow, FL 32746
407.333.2847

Open for dinner seven days a week. Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 am to 9:30 pm, Friday 11:30 am to 10:30 pm, Sat. 4:30 to 10:30 pm, Sun. 4:30 to 9:30 pm. Reservations suggested. Live Music 3 Nights a Week: Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Night.

Luigino's offers complimentary valet parking and curbside takeout (including pizza)