It seems as if every other restaurant in the Nutmeg State is Italian, and all too many of them display a certain predictable sameness. I’m not just talking about restaurants that offer all of the usual Italian-American suspects on their menus. There’s nothing wrong with fried calamari, fettuccine Alfredo or chicken Marsala if they’re prepared using high-quality ingredients and executed with skill, love and imagination. Without bashing any particular distributors, I’m talking about Italian joints that taste as if they’re using all of the same bland commercially prepared products.
In Milford, a new restaurant called Salute’ has opened that stands head and shoulders over the routine Italian joints.
Located in the old Bennigan’s location, Salute’ isn’t especially fancy or high-falutin’—it’s just good, honest, full-flavored Italian cooking. Anyone with a palate should be able to taste the difference between Salute’ and some of its distant cousins. Says owner Joseph Sandolo (left), shown here with his brother Antonio (right), “We don’t work with the distributors everyone else uses. We use good ingredients, great tomatoes, great olive oil.”
Having the right chef certainly helps, too. The Sandolos credit “Chef Mauricio” for bringing to life the taste of the islands off the Amalfi Coast, especially the Isle of Ponza that is their heritage.
Chef Mauricio’s distinguished career includes stints at Edwin Moran Bar & Grill in New York’s World Financial Center and the Hudson River Club.
In the Sandolos own words: “Our food is made with all natural ingredients… Everything is made from scratch, even the bread… The versatile menu offers a great variety of flavors featuring light sauces and extra virgin olive oil that go above and beyond the typical red sauce… Fresh island sensibilities—sea, sun, wild herbs and the highest quality ingredients combine to bring you gourmet Italian with a delicious lighter touch…”
It’s easy to see why the quality of the food is so important to the Sandolos. They appear to gather with friends and family to eat there all of the time.
The boys are back in town…
The casual visitor will be immediately struck by Salute’s warmth. There’s a ready smile at the hostess station,
behind the bar,
or on manager Kelly.
On a first visit, my friend, Bob, and I were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. Salads that accompany entrées are rarely distinguished, but you can see this house salad with Gorgonzola cheese and a balsamic dressing was a very good one.
The pasta e fagiole was full of flavor.
Two simple pastas shone. The first was the pasta Salute’, which we ordered with housemade fettuccine noodles, roasted eggplant, tomato, broccoli, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomato, kalamata olives, roasted garlic and Parmesan.
The second was housemade gnocchi served in a pesto sauce.
We also got to try linguine Portofino, which featured chicken and shrimp, shallot, prosciutto, green peas, fresh herbs and roasted garlic in a Parmesan cheese cream sauce.
Potato-crusted salmon with housemade hollandaise sauce was a delight,
and chicken scampi (something I’d normally never order) shockingly fresh and flavorful.
Desserts also excelled. We shared a terrific tiramisù,
a flourless chocolate cake,
and a wonderful light cheesecake, served warm.
After a meal like that, I was obviously coming back. On the second night, Salute’ was very festive, with live music entertaining the guests.
The kitchen was cranking
to meet demand.
A number of people elected to dine at the comfortable bar.
Both Sandolos were on hand to make sure everyone had a great dining experience.
My dining companion was Amy, a good friend with a discerning palate.
Amy and I began by trying a rustic pizza topped with fresh Mozzarella, spinach, artichoke and garlic.
On we proceeded to mindblowingly good grilled calamari, which were marinated in citrus juices with a hint of balsamic vinegar and served over a baby arugula salad.
You won’t get anything like that at one of Connecticut’s cookie-cutter Italian joints.
For our entrées, we enjoyed a nice New York steak with red wine sauce, the certified Angus beef tender, juicy and full of flavor.
A medium-rare grilled yellowfin tuna steak, ginger glazed and served with jasmine rice and sautéed spinach, was incredibly good. All it takes is a couple of dishes like these to establish trust, Amy observed. To do the tuna photographic justice, I should have snapped a shot of its bright pink interior.
By the way, that was just $16.95, salad included!
We broke this salmon open so you could see its succulent, lightly cooked interior.
And here you see Salute’s surf and turf, an appealing combination.
Very full, we finished with the tiramisù, which you’ve already seen, and tempura-fried ice cream, which you haven’t.
Cappuccinos were ideal accompaniment.
When you like a place, you keep going back. I returned a third time with my older daughter, Rebecca, whom the restaurant presented with this rose.
These cutie pies at the next table got roses of their own.
The joint was jumping.
Another crooner was raising everyone’s spirits.
Some people were itching to dance.
Our waiter, Mark, took terrific care of us throughout our meal.
A little vino started off our meal.
Tasty and tender fried calamari was made with fresh, not frozen, squid.
A prosciutto platter featured fine imported Italian ham served with fresh housemade Mozzarella.
Here’s a close-up of the Mozzarella with pesto sauce,
And here’s a tight view of the pink prosciutto.
Potato and leek soup was also delicious.
My favorite item, however, was this scrumptious rabbit preparation.
Since my daughter ordered the tuna as an entrée, I was able to snap a shot of that pink interior I had missed on a prior visit.
I’ll give you one guess what I had for dinner.
As for this big baked stuffed Maine lobster, not only was the lobster itself wonderful, but I loved the seafood stuffing with Gulf shrimp, bay scallops and a subtle mustard bite.
We were so thrilled with our meal that I asked the owners and chef to pose for another photograph.
But talking just about the food doesn’t fully capture Salute’s heart or spirit. At any moment, a conga line might break out!
And you know where that can lead—more dancing!
In a landscape full of predictable Italian restaurants, Salute’ in Milford (cue uplifting choral music) is a godsend.
Salute’, 290 Old Gate Lane, Milford, 203-301-0408