Domani Bistro Lounge

We first sampled Domani at a Yelp event and enjoyed some excellent apps......the cheesed grapes and crostini were memorable.  That also meant we had to return and finally did.  This time tried the fried mozzarella/ricotta app, then on to eggplant parmesan and unique spaghetti with lemon-rocotta meatballs.  And a Asian pear dessert nicely capped the meal.

The setting is elegant yet casual, service is friendly and informed, prices were reasonable..    An above average dining experience.

We didn't make reservations on a Friday but still were seated right away despite a packed house.  Our server was a little slow to the table, but the manager noticed and comped our appetizers.  No complaints here!  The mussels were delicious.  The sauce is almost like a mild thai curry but on the sweeter side.  They were perfect.  The rolled grapes are one of my favorites.  They are the perfect mix of savory and sweet.   I had the filet as my entree.  It was cooked perfectly and the bleu cheese mashed potatoes pair perfectly with it.  My fiancee had the salmon.  Also delicious from the one bite I got before it disappeared.  All in all, this is one of my favorite restaurants in Seminole Heights.  I love the atmosphere (live jazz) and the food never misses.

Wow. This was an unexpected find. I was traveling to Tampa for work, and I really did not expect to find a place of such high quality.

My colleague and I went for dinner and we each ordered a glass of red wine (I had an organic Chilean cabernet that was outstanding), shared the 5 piece charcuterie plate, and had the pork osso bucco.

The charcuterie plate included homemade mozzarella, taleggio, and brie cheeses, prosciutto, and bresaola, along with some savory sides of candied walnuts, green and kalamata olives, grapes, dried figs, and roasted peppers. While the prosciutto was smooth, but not especially flavorful, the bresaola was very tasty. Each of the cheeses was outstanding. The brie was very creamy and had great character without being too earthy, and the taleggio was subtly wonderful.

The size of the pork (yes pork) osso bucco was "Fred Flinstone" portioned, according to our waitress, and she was right. Quantity is nothing without quality, though, the meat clearly came from a high quality supplier. It was seasoned perfectly and cooked enough to be nicely carmelized while still retaining a very nice texture. There was a hint of lemon in addition to the savory herbs used to cook the osso bucco as well. The beautiful pork was complimented by a deftly prepared homemade paradelle. Hats off to the chef for pulling off this delightful twist on a traditional standby.

The service was very attentive and friendly with a quality and knowledge appropriate to the high level of food being served.

For me, there were just a couple of negatives. One was the espresso at the end - no crema, and pretty mediocre. The other was the homemade focaccia. It was passable and fresh, but not up to the rest of the restaurant's standard. Fix those two items, and I'd give this place five stars.

On the whole, though, this is an outstanding restaurant. I'm extremely picky about Italian food, and I would definitely come back to try more of their food.