Dining Review: Primavera Restaurant

It’s been a while since we reviewed a family-owned restaurant. I had a craving to dine at an authentic Italian eatery where I could find some of the dishes I grew up with in New York. Out of the blue, I received a phone call from the owner of Primavera Restaurant asking me if I would like to sample some of their cuisine. Of course, I am not one to say no to a meal.

The ambiance at Primavera is welcoming. Patrons can either eat in the bar area or choose to be seated in the larger dining space. The service at the restaurant was very good. Our server was attentive and informative; quick to offer recommendations off the menu.

For our appetizers, we began with a selection of three of the restaurant’s most popular selections. Of the trio, the mushroom strudel was my favorite. The dish was savory and delicious, a simple combination of mushrooms and cheeses, topped with a light red-sauce. Also very good was the soffiatelli, pastry shells filled with four different kinds of cheese, and baked and served with a pink sauce. However, my guest Anthony and I did not really enjoy the grilled eggplant in crust. We both found it a bit bland, and it was hard to taste the eggplant.

No Italian meal would be complete without pasta, so the chef decided to prepare two of his favorite pasta dishes, as well as some gnocchi bolognese. All of the pasta at Primavera is homemade, which makes the consistency a lot lighter than store-bought. The first selection was the ricottaand spinach ravioli, which was accompanied by a tomato and basil sauce. This dish was definitely traditional and the spinach was accented by the basil.

My favorite selection on the plate was the gnocchi Bolognese. The gnocchi were perfectly cooked and the Bolognese sauce was flavorful and delicious. My only recommendation would have been to add a bit more meat to the sauce to make it thicker, but it was delightful nonetheless. In addition, the chef prepared butternut squash ravioli with a butter and sage sauce. Although the flavor of the butternut squash was prominent, I didn’t think the sauce did anything to accent the dish.

Our entrees consisted of asparagus crusted Chilean sea bass with a chardonnay and Dijon mustard sauce, and the veal funghi, Primavera’s take on veal Marsala. I found the fish to be firm and enjoyable, whereas my guest preferred the tenderness of the veal. The asparagus crust topping the sea bass was light and full of flavor, adding a welcomed crisp to an otherwise light dish.

For our final course, we indulged in a selection of homemade desserts. First was a three-cheese cake, which texturally was a bit heavier than most other cheesecakes, due to the addition of mascarpone cheese—this was my Anthony’s favorite selection. I, however, preferred the panna cotta, a dessert made by combining cream, milk, and sugar, mixing it with gelatin, and letting it cool until set. The consistency and taste was very similar to flan. Finally, we had the light and tasty crème brûlée.

Primavera is a great choice for those who are looking for good home-cooking.

Primavera Restaurant
830 East Oakland Park Boulevard,
Oakland Park: (954) 564-6363