Understated Italian Fare on the North Trail

Just outside of downtown, on the North Trail between 4th and 5th Streets, tucked inside a small strip mall is the . Look closely because it is easy to miss and that would be a shame.

Simple and subtle on the outside, small, bright and airy on the inside, Etrusco is serving Italian cuisine with perhaps a slight bent on seafood. The menu is large but not overwhelming and there are always some fresh daily specials. For our meals we had the following:

• Ensalata Boscaiola:  Mixed baby greens with shaved mushrooms tossed with Gorgonzola cheese in an olive oil and lemon cheese dressing.  $5.95
  Although the salad was not as described (no mixed baby greens nor shaved mushrooms; instead romaine and spinach with sliced mushrooms), it was very fresh and an ample size.
• Cesare Cena:  Dinner Caesar salad with homemade dressing, croutons and shaved Parmesean cheese.  $5.95
  Large sized salad, fresh, topped with grated cheese vs. shaved, still very good.
• Dentice Peppone: Snapper fillet with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and chopped fresh tomatoes all sautéed in garlic, olive oil and oregano; finished with a white wine sauce. $24.95
  Very fresh fish, the salty olives, sweet fish and tomatoes provide a nice mix of flavors
• Scaloppina Monte Carlo: Scaloppina (veal) sautéed in garlic and olive oil with fresh chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers.  Topped with mozzarella cheese served over linguini pasta $22.95
  The veal was tender and the mixture of tomatoes, peppers, artichokes provide nice color, flavor all topped by a gooey cheese to add some additional texture; nice presentation.
• Cernia Andriese: Grouper filet sautéed in olive oil and garlic with green olives, fresh herbs, clams and mussels.   Finished in a white wine sauce.  $24.95
  Black olives not green.  Fresh fish, nice seasoning.  Good sized portion...plus pasta.
• Tiramisu:  $6.00
  A very nice presentation. Light, sweet, delicious!

Etrusco offers an adequate selection of beers and wines to accompany your meal. We found the wait staff to be in keeping with the style of the restaurant; casual, friendly and attentive.

Offering Italian cuisine in Sarasota is a challenge. There are so many Italian restaurants how does a place set itself apart. Etrusco is doing so by offering a wider selection of seafood presented with a mix of fresh ingredients. An interesting combination which is slightly different from a typical Italian restaurant.

Etrusco Ristorante Toscano
430 North Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34236

(941) 957-0700