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 GOOD
LIFE MAGAZINE /
October 2002
issue
Mancini's received a 3½ spoon rating, out of a rating of four
possible spoons.
Food columnist Jack Scagnetti has this to say about Mancini's:
The Setting:
Mancini's is more up to speed with the emerging Ft. Lauderdale hipster
set, a cosmopolitan-Italian restaurant that could just as easily be
located in New York or Chicago.
Aside from Mark's across the street,
Mancini's seems to be one of the few Las Olas eateries that has
concentrated as much on design as they have on culinary precision.
The Food:
The Bamberoni alla Griglia hails from Mancini's Tuscan Exhibition Grill.
Once again, the shrimp were plump and cooked to perfection.
The salmoriglio sauce, which is basically an olive oil sauce originating
from Sicily, was refined and rightfully understated, a wonderful
backdrop for the stand-out shrimp.
Dessert:
No evening of dining is complete without dessert and Mancini's pays
special attention to this coveted course. The dolce di
ricotta en
mascarpone will satisfy any sweet tooth and comes highly recommended.
The hazelnut ice cream is a wonderful compliment.
 DINING
OUT - ONLINE
Located on trendy Las Olas Boulevard, Mancini's continues to live
up to its reputation as the largest outdoor people-watching café on
the strip. Indoors, the fresh and bright ambience incorporates touches
of modern style—pointed chandeliers, elevated lighting, and wine
racks built into the wall set the restaurant apart from other La Olas
restaurants. Outside, the patio’s European charm sparkles with
crisp white table settings, fans à la Casablanca, and dozens of
well-manicured, seasonal flowers.
The highlight of any evening at Mancini’s,
however, is always the menu; the creations of the Executive Chef Ralph
Pagano never cease to amaze. He combines regional recipes—from
Northern Italy to the islands of Capri—and uses only the freshest
ingredients from Tuscany and fish from the Mediterranean. Pagano, an
up and coming celebrity chef, was seen recently on television shows Hells
Kitchen, Iron Chef and his new cooking show, Pressure Cook. Known among
the locals as a power lunch destination, Mancini’s wows its guests
with specialties such as Mediterranean Branzino, veal chops and lamb
chops from its Tuscan exhibition grill.
Florio always impresses with
the evident quality and creativity of his dishes; from a hearty Italian
sausage Orecchiette pasta to a sweet-and sour balsamic fillet of salmon,
guests experience the flavors of Italy and the treasures of global produce,
meat, and seafood—a veritable flight of international flavors.
As a fitting pair to any meal, enjoy one of the award-winning wines,
or the restaurant's signature favorite, Jack's Martini, while listening
to musician Toty Viola strumming the sounds of Andrea Bocelli, George
Benson and Frank Sinatra.
At the end of the night, any guest will tell
you: Mancini’s doesn’t only make a meal; they make an evening.
 BROWARD
NEW TIMES
Best
Restaurant for a Power Lunch
Mancini's has a voguish-looking interior with a huge, bristling chandelier,
like a cluster of giant pods. But it's on the broad sidewalk outside,
where the restaurant has staked out an impressive chunk of Las Olas
Boulevard with a couple of dozen linen-swathed tables, that you'll
see the deals being made. All the usual suspects are there: politicians,
developers, well-heeled tourists, the yacht crowd, and the occasional
celebrity.
The ambiance has a certain European feel to it, including the service,
which is, oh, a half-step slower than that in some of the clattering
establishments a block or two farther south. (I mean, are you here
to suck down food or to eat?) For their epicurean indulgence, patrons
get savory, steamy food with all the requisite olive oil and garlic.
A caesar salad goes for $7, a tasty linguine alle vongole, $14, a
slice of fresh grilled salmon adorned with greens, $16. Good and
somehow entrepreneurially satisfying. As the waiter serves the cappuccinos,
that condo tower project you've been talking about with the guy across
the table should really start coming into focus.
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At the end of the night, any guest will tell you: Mancini’s doesn’t
only make a meal; they make an evening.
DINING
OUT
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