Gloria Jordan bought La Trattoria Cafe Napoli in 2005 and has been serving European style cuisine with a Spanish flare ever since. Over the years we have heard many great things about Gloria’s Place but have never had the opportunity to dine there. So, we made it a point to stop in recently. The funny thing is they are located within 5 mins of our office and after dining there, I see many more lunches and dinners there in the future.
They are located just off of US 41 in the Villias Plaza. They have approx. 55 seats split between two dining rooms. While it is not hard to find them once you know exactly where they are. Parking is limited though. From the outside you would never know just what a gem they are. The inside décor is warm and cozy. The staff is open and friendly and great you like you are old friends even when it is your first visit. Our server Giselle was so pleasant and friendly. She made great recommendations and ensured we had a great dining experience.
We relaxed with a Moscato that was smooth and sweet ($9) The food is the real star here. Everything from the tapas to the salad to the entrees to dessert were absolute perfection. We started with the Yucca Fries ($8) and they were delicious, fried perfectly, with a hint of garlic. The side salad has all fresh ingredients, and the dressing was a compliment to the salad. Sometimes the dressing will overpower the salad but not in this case.
For our entrees we chose the Ternera Tortellacci La Castellana ($21) handmade pasta filled with veal ragout, with roasted garlic, plums, shallots and a madeira wine sauce. My dining partner chose one of the nightly specials Veal Monte Carlo ($26) Veal scallopini topped with prosciutto, eggplant, asparagus, roasted red peppers, provolone cheese in a shallot sherry wine sauce served over carrots and potatoes.
The Tortellacci just melted in your mouth and the plums added just a hint of sweetness. The veal ragout was rich and flavorful. The layers of flavors were just outstanding. The Veal Monte Carlo was like having a flavor explosion in your mouth. In each bit there was a new flavor layered upon another. The veal was so tender you could cut it with a knife. The vegetables were cooked perfectly.
For dessert we opted for the Tartufo – Raspberry gelato with hard chocolate casing. It was an excellent way to end a perfect meal with a great cup of coffee.
If you are looking for an exceptional meal then La Trattoria Cafe Napoli is a restaurant you will want to go to the next time you are dining out.
Overall rating: Sheer Perfection
La Trattoria Cafe Napoli
12377 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers, Florida 33907
https://latrattoriacafenapoli.com/
For more restaurant reviews visit The Discriminating Diner
