Il Mulino
1800 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954/524-1800, Ilmulinofl.com
People who arrive at Il Mulino after 7 p.m. on a weekend are likely to wait, but the Italian specialties are worth it. This restaurant, a longtime local favorite, serves chicken, veal, seafood and eggplant dishes as well as salad, pizza and anellis, all of which are rave-worthy. But the pasta, made daily in Il Mulino's kitchen, gets the most praise. The ravioli in marinara sauce, stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, Swiss and Parmigiana cheeses, is sweet and tender, while fusilli naturale, a pasta dish with grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, pine nuts and goat cheese in balsamic natural sauce, proves tangy and addictive. Even healthy choices such as cheeseless vegetarian pizza and broccoli-laden whole-wheat spaghettini taste sinfully satisfying. Entrées cost less than $21 and often provide enough leftovers for a nice lunch.