THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Vino e Olio

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Vino e Olio Restaurant Review:

At the restaurant chef Andrea Menichetti's parents run in Italy's untouristed Maremma, his mom Valeria Piccini serves both the region's traditional dishes and creative, contemporary variations that remain true in taste to their rustic forbearers. The latter are the strong suit at this stylish restaurant/lounge, too, and the inspiration Menichetti demonstrates in dishes like tortelli (Maremma-style ravioli) stuffed with pecorino and homemade ricotta, in a rustically-rooted yet refined beet sauce that'll convert even hardcore beet-haters, suggests that cooking skill may be an inherited trait. Equally evocative on the seasonally-changing modern Maremma menu: Menichetti's spelt starter---the wheat-like grain, classically cooked as a heavy peasant soup, is instead molded with pancetta into a savory cake sauced with sweet pepper cream and pungent aged ricotta. In an effort to mold to Miami, the restaurant has undergone changes since opening, one welcome (significant price reductions bringing starters and pastas from upscale to affordable), one not so much: the addition of familiar, generic Italian fare like eggplant Parmesan. Stick to regionally-based dishes, though, and your taste buds will truly transport you to Tuscany.