What a welcomed departure to see an Italian restaurant not overcome by pasta dishes that swim in marinara and cheese. Don’t get me wrong: Bravo! Cucina Italiana offers plenty of pasta, but it also emphasizes grilled steak and fish items — ingredients you don’t normally find on chain menus. This is an interesting point because this eatery in the Oxmoor area (owned by Columbus, Ohio-based Bravo! Development Inc.) goes out of its way to avoid “chain” typecasting by providing a white-tablecloth (a.k.a. non-chainlike) atmosphere. But because it has to turn so many tables, this fine-dining dream remains an arm’s length away despite some notable successes.
The spacious dining room presents a comfortable and attractive atmosphere, with lots of brick, greenery and white pillars. But now that the sun’s out, I opted to sit in Bravo’s al fresco section. The enclosed patio wraps around the restaurant’s side and includes roughly a dozen glass tables with corresponding wicker chairs and oversized white umbrellas. Strategically placed flower boxes add more charm. It’s so pleasant you almost forget you’re overlooking a parking lot.
My meal began with a basket of warm herb-seasoned and plain foccacia and a splash of red pepper-infused olive oil. The combination was so tasty I had to remind myself to save room for my meal. It was an encouraging start.
Bravo’s salads never failed — or bored. I was pleased to find many appetizing combinations. The Caesar loaded up fresh, crisp iceberg with seasoned croutons and a tangy, traditional Caesar dressing ($4). Insalata della casa ($4) melded together chopped iceberg, cucumber, tomato and bacon dressed in a tasty Parmesan-laced dressing. While the above salads were fresh, heavy on ingredients and appealing, my favorite was the insalata mista ($6), which tossed field greens, bacon, tomatoes and Gorgonzola crumbles together in a balsamic dressing. I’m a sucker for anything combining pungent and sweet, which this salad did when it fused together blue cheese with the sweet balsamic. It’s an ingredient pairing that made sense and tasted good.
Remember to ask about the soup of the day. A bowl of the black bean ($4.50) delighted me during a recent lunch. Chock full of beans, its chunky chili-style texture packed flavor and heartiness. It came topped with a dollop of sour cream and diced tomatoes.
A lunch-sized portion of wood-fired chicken
A better selection was the wood-grilled chicken pizza ($9). Easily sharable, the crispy golden pie arrived with a flaky, buttery crust. A rich Alfredo sauce covered the pizza, which layered grilled chicken slices, mushrooms, caramelized onions, oven-roasted tomatoes and feta. The crunchy/creamy combination juxtaposed nicely, and despite the pizza’s richness, it had a light quality to it.
Bravo’s appetizer offerings are more innovative than what you normally find on Italian chain menus. Granted, they offer the obligatory spinach artichoke dip, but it shared space with a wood-grilled portobello mushroom ($7) and crispy shrimp with charred tomato ($9.50). What made the above dishes innovative was their presentation. The portobello mushroom cap sat in a pool of yellow aioli, which hinted of lemon, garlic, butter and mustard. Sauteed spinach doused in olive oil and garlic added tart flavor to the meaty ’shroom. “Addictive” describes the popcorn-sized pieces of fried shrimp, which were coated in a flaky Parmesan crust. A light sauce made up of charred tomato pieces, chives and lemon butter rendered subtle flavor that worked well against the crunchy crustacean bits.
I ordered wood-grilled tilapia with crab ($17) for my entree. My large, seasoned fillet sat in an oily butter sauce. It was a bit overcooked, although I didn’t immediately recognize it since it was blanketed in a creamy crab dip. The dish redeemed itself with its side offerings — delicious skin-on roasted red potato wedges and a medley of roasted asparagus spears, zucchini, red pepper and carrots.
My husband’s mixed grill ($17) placed wood-grilled beef tenderloin and chicken medallions with a similarly engaging roasted vegetable assortment in a charred tomato and pesto sauce. The server didn’t ask how he wanted the meat prepared and he forgot to mention it. How unfortunate. The beef medallions arrived too well done and tough and the chicken faired only slightly better.
While my experiences at Bravo had some highlights, I can’t help but think its hustle-bustle takes a toll on the food. If I were to select a restaurant based upon stellar soups, salads and sides, it would score higher. If my choice were based on the delivery of the main dishes, Bravo doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its menu.
