With famed South Florida chef’s Angelo Elia’s newest restaurant in CityPlace Doral comes a fresh spin on old Tuscan favorites, something he continually done in each of his nine locations throughout South Florida (three Casa D’Angelos, five Pizza, Bar and Tapas and one Bakery Café). Tapas, gelato and pizza are all available at this almost-5,000 square-foot location.

Elia wanted this Pizza, Bar and Tapas location to incorporate his Italian café concept, and this resulted in an all-inclusive restaurant that has a little something for everyone. Walking in, the modern decor and chic open space is easily noticeable. Even with all the square feet the restaurant occupies, I still felt like I was eating an intimate meal with close friends at a small trattoria.

We started the evening off a glass of Costaripa rosé, which was smooth and flavorful. Our first course consisted of turkey chicken meatballs with cannellini beans, which turned out to be great blend of meat, and the escarole accompanying it had plenty of flavor with a slight crunch.

The fried zucchini blossoms filled with mozzarella were little flowers of fun; lightly battered and not too greasy.

Next, the bucatini carbonara, with egg yolk, pancetta, zucchini and cracked pepper. Like little garden hoses, each piece of pasta trapped a bit of the sauce inside, resulting in me savoring every bite.

Linguine vongole was a light pasta dish that offered just a hint of spiciness and tender clams.

The contadina pizza, with Italian sausage, ricotta, mozzarella and tomato sauce, was the perfect size for one person. Pizza is definitely one of Elia’s specialties, and there are twelve different varieties, so you’ll never get bored.

The classic Angelo pizza, with bufala mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula and reggiano cheese, didn’t disappoint, either. The bitter arugula complimented the savory meat and cheese.

I didn’t even know I needed a dessert version of chips and dip until I had their cannoli shell chips with cannoli cream dip. Accompanied by a stromboli filled with Nutella, these satisfied my sweet tooth. The fresh strawberries made for a perfect garnish.

The next time you’re in Doral, don’t pass up Angelo Elia’s finest location yet!

Angelo Elia in CityPlace Doral is open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Website  Facebook Instagram  Twitter

 Olivia Feldman is a contributor for The South Florida Sage. Her favorite foods are anything that involves pasta and her mom’s cooking. When she’s not eating and drinking her way through South Florida, you can find her going to concerts, planning her next travel destination, and hosting her biweekly music show, “Back in Our Minds,” on Jolt Radio. You also can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @oliviafelds

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Disclosure: I received a complimentary tasting at Angelo Elia. All opinions are my own.