‘Watts for Dinner’ the Takeout Edition: Quality and consistency – Davide’s does it again
Our next dining destination is longtime favorite Davide Italian Cafe & Deli on Marco Island.
Things got off to an appetizing start with the shrimp parmigiana ($12.95) featuring lightly fried and breaded shrimp in a tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese. A surprisingly great combination you might not expect.
Next, I had selected the restaurant’s namesake salad, featuring a spring mix, cucumbers, strawberries, mandarins, avocados, caviar and tuna salad with a kiwi lime sauce. So regal! Alas, it was not meant to be, as it isn’t currently being served.
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Instead I got the, as the menu states, “Cesare” salad ($7.95) featuring fresh romaine lettuce with croutons tossed with our homemade Caesar dressing and grated parmigiano cheese. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it, except it wasn’t the Davide salad.
My dining companion had the “Italiana” salad ($10.95) featuring endive, arugula, radicchio, with gorgonzola cheese topped with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The cheese made this dish, but the radicchio was a little bitter. Not entirely the restaurant’s fault.
We sampled two items, one hot and the other cold, from the panini section of the menu and two large pizzas. First the sandwiches.
On the hot side, we selected the “Melenzana Parmigiana” ($9.95) featuring breaded eggplant thinly sliced, lightly fried with a homemade tomato sauce topped with mozzarella cheese. So good! The bread was fresh and chewy, just like you’d expect. And the marinara! Davide’s has the best sauce. Light, yet packed with flavor. A really great choice.
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Speaking of the sauce, I should have had the calamari. Next time!
On the cold side, we also had the “Freddi” ($10.95) featuring more of that yummy bread and grilled eggplant, sliced fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, arugula, caramelized onions and our homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. This sandwich is so hearty, even without meat.
On the pizza front, we picked the “Quattro Formaggi” ($19.95) with tomato sauce and a blend of mozzarella cheese, gorgonzola cheese, parmigiano cheese and provolone cheese. A slice of this pizza is pure heaven. A thin and crispy crust with a beautiful layering technique. Just to look at it you’d never guess the complex, rich and amazing flavor. Bravo!
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Our next pizza was the “Biancaneve” ($18.95), just bread and mozzarella cheese. No sauce, no bells or whistles. And yet it impresses. This dish lets the wonderful bread and the rich quality cheese shine. I could eat this all day!
We topped off this exquisite mean with Davide’s lemon cream cake ($6.95 a slice), which features two layers of lemon cake filled with lemon and vanilla custard. This dessert delivers. A wonderful blend lemon flavor and creaminess.
Davide Italian Cafe & Deli has a friendly an amazing staff. They’re always happy to see you and grateful for your business. And we’re grateful for them! Happy eating!
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This newspaper pays for all meals related to dining reviews. We do not solicit or accept free food. Not all dishes are featured in print, but you can find a gallery of all reviewed dishes online at marconews.com.
If you go
Davide Italian Cafe & Deli
- Island Plaza, 688 Bald Eagle Dr. (NW Corner Bald Eagle and Collier Blvd.)
- Marco Island
- 239-393-2233
- davideitaliancafe.com