After more than 20 years making a name for himself with his lusty Southern Italian cooking at Dominic’s in West Boca, Vito Raneri has struck out on his own.
Davito’s Italian Restaurant (19635 State Road 7, 561/482-2323) blends the names of its two partners, Raneri (chef) and David Acker (front of the house). It takes over the space that once housed Anna’s Kitchen, and boasts a dark wood and marble interior that calls to mind “sitting in a piazza†in Italy, Raneri says.
The menu features all the staples of the Southern Italian kitchen, from clams or mussels marinara and veal saltimbocca to chicken scarpariello and zuppa di pesce. Among Raneri’s signatures are rigatoni Bolognese made lighter with ground chicken in place of the usual veal and beef, and a “stacker†of breaded eggplant layered with mozzarella and topped with a balsamic vinegar glaze.
There’s also a 30-label, mostly Italian wine list than runs as light as Pinot Grigio and as hearty as baby Amarone, and for beer aficionados, Italian brewskis on tap.
