December 11, 1998
FLORENTINE GRILLE
Tuscan touch is sensational


By ALAN ROSENBERG AND AVIS GUNTHER-ROSENBERG
Journal Staff Writers

WARREN -- Tuscan cooking -- the grilled meats and hearty flavors from the part of Italy that includes Florence -- is all the rage. And Bologna-born Nick Iannuccilli already has hit it big with his Florentine Grille, the North Providence eatery that Frank Sinatra is said to have favored when he came to Rhode Island.

So it should be no surprise that Iannuccilli's new restaurant, the Tuscan Tavern, has the look, feel and taste of a winner.

In the spot where the Old Venice used to be, it's got the Tuscan touch with lovely murals in the main dining room, painted by Newport's Ruppert Nesbitt, that show the streets of Florence. Smaller artwork adorns the other walls; indirect lighting and lots of dark wood add a cozy feel.

Despite a large crowd last Friday night, service was pleasant and the meal moved along just quickly enough. And the food -- huge portions, and much of it cooked on what the menu touts as Southern New England's largest wood-burning brick oven -- was nothing short of sensational.

The menu opens with a selection of pizzas ranging from a basic tomato and cheese (with basil) to the Gamberoni (sliced shrimp, fresh tomato, mozzarella, mascarpone, red onions and herbs), priced from $7.95 to $13.95. You can get your pizza with such toppings as Portobello mushrooms, carmelized onions, Buffalo mozzarella or even Caesar salad.

We rolled our eyes a bit when we saw the description of the pizza Patate -- ``Red Bliss mashed potatoes and our four-cheese recipe with rosemary and scallions'' -- but decided it sounded too interesting to pass up, especially after our server assured us it was one of the restaurant's best. We're glad we took the chance; it was scrumptious. The crust was thick and crisp against the creamy potatoes and the flavors blended exceptionally well, resulting in a taste and feel like a potato knish or potato-filled bread.

An extensive list of appetizers includes such exotica as oven-baked little necks in a spicy sausage-tomato-champagne broth, grilled chicken tenderloins with Tuscan beans, sauteed greens and crostini, and a ``Gigante'' baked meatball smothered in Tuscan tomato sauce, mixed cheeses and herbs. Prices range from $3.95 to $11.95 (for a large antipasto platter).

Calzones and bruschetta

Calzones and bruschetta are $5.25 to $9.95 and include everything from spinach and pepperoni to one including asparagus and artichoke.

Salads and soups (including Tuscan tomato-onion, and chicken with not only vegetables, but also risotto) come in small (``piccolo'') and large (``grande'') portions. We ordered one as what we thought was an appetizer, though it was delivered with our entree.

Called spaghetti della Pappa, the pasta was served with sauteed escarole, garlic and olive oil -- a nice but surprising dish that was lighter than the usual oily aglio olio. Although it was a ``piccolo'' order ($5.95), the portion was soup-bowl sized, large enough for an entree if you have a small appetite. (Grande portions -- which we saw on other tables -- are enormous.)

Other pastas (ranging from $4.50 to $6.95 for piccolo portions and $7.95 to $15.95 for grande) include cappelli with sea clams and little necks in garlic olive oil, veal tortellini with mushroom/herb sauce, and wood-oven baked penne with hot Italian sausage. There's also pasta with tomato and three cheeses, or with shrimp, clams and mussels.

Entrees are reasonably priced -- from $8.95 to $9.95 for piccolo portions and $12.95 to $18.95 for grande. There were creative dishes such as breaded chicken breasts sauteed with artichokes and red peppers in a Pinot Grigio/herb sauce; simpler wood-grilled fare such as pork chops; and Italian food that combined the familiar in unfamiliar ways, such as sauteed, breaded veal finished in light tomato sauce and baked in the oven with three cheeses and fresh basil.

Entrees are served with choice of potato and vegetable -- mashed potatoes and sauteed escarole on our visit -- or pasta with zesty, thick Tuscan tomato sauce.

Grande entrees were grand

Both of our grande entrees were substantial. Pollo Panzanella ($12.95) was our favorite -- lemon-herb marinated chicken breasts grilled perfectly and served over a zippy bread, tomato and celery salad in a red-wine vinegar dressing -- very light and yet very satisfying.

Bistecca Fiorentina ($16.95) -- grilled 16-ounce porterhouse steak -- was nicely finished, with whole roasted garlic cloves, olive oil and herbs.

Desserts ($3.75 to $5) are made by Chris Rossi, the Florentine Grille's pastry chef. Our server recommended tiramisu ($4.50) -- a custardy cake dish laced with coffee liqueur and layered with creamy mascarpone cheese. Tiramisu has become common on menus but is often disappointing. Here it was exquisitely light and delicate, a definite must-order.

We also tried the very sweet and fudgy chocolate hazelnut torte ($4.75) -- dense and dark. It wasn't quite the tiramisu's match -- but, like everything else we encountered last Friday, it was a good reason to head for the Tuscan Tavern.