Osteria 7.13, 543 South Pineapple Avenue, 941-552-8657

Osteria 7.13 is the new Italian café on the corner in Burns Square. The fountain that marks the spot where Orange and Pineapple is surrounded by café tables and the place is fairly busy on Monday night when I stop by with my mother for a quick first impression visit. This place is a labor of love. The manager, Antonio Bortoluzzo, and the chef, Cinzia Zanco, are young and impassioned. Both are recently imported from Italy—as are many of their gourmet ingredients. The 7 in Osteria 7.13 is the lucky number of the manager, the 13 the lucky number of the chef. Our charming Hungarian server, Dany, happily explains the reason for the numbers (in Italy, osterias are plentiful and are often distinguished by numbers) and offers thoughtful wine and food recommendations. We opt for a version of a caprese salad that involves layered slices of tomato, mozzarella and eggplant parmesan with fresh pesto and basil as garnish, as well as a cold plate called the San Daniele, which is a wooden board loaded with enough fresh arugula, mozzarella and prosciutto to feed a small army. Both dishes are impeccable; my mother declares the eggplant to be the best she’s tried in a very long time. The tiramisu that follows has a marscapone topping that is dense and not overly sweet and ladyfingers soaked in a secret ingredient. Actually, the ingredient is not a secret but the version is new to me and I encourage you to go to Osteria 7.13 and extract the answers for yourself. It’s bound to be a delightful experience.

Osteria 7.13, 543 South Pineapple Avenue, 941-552-8657