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Review: Table 42 Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar in Boca Raton
By John Tanasychuk, Sun Sentinel
Important: This article was last updated on March 4, 2010. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
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 Royal Palm Place, 399 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton 561-826-2625 Grrestaurant.com Cuisine: Italian Cost: moderate-expensive Hours: lunch, dinner daily Reservations: for parties of six or more Credit cards: AE, D, MC, V Bar: full service Sound level: moderate Outside smoking: yes For kids: high chairs, boosters, menu items on request Wheelchair accessible: yes  |
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First impression: The former Coal Mine Pizza underwent a transformation from very nice pizza parlor to very chic restaurant and lounge. Executive chef Matthew Danaher, formerly of DeVito South Beach and Vic & Angelo's, now uses that coal oven for much more than pizza. He broadened the menu to include pasta, salads and a few classic Italian dishes, such as Chicken Parmigiana ($18), Eggplant Parmesan ($9) and an ever-changing seafood selection.Ambience: I only wish the clubby and stylish red and black and white interior was larger. Some tables are awfully close to one another, although there's plenty of outside seating on the covered patio.
Starters: They're so good you'll want to build your meal around them. Order one of the specialty pies while you peruse the menu. Steve Lieber, director of operations, is also the 2009 American Pizza Championship winner. I recommend the Eggplant pie: slices of eggplant, smoked mozzarella and oregano ($17) or the Truffle Pie ($35 with black truffles) with scallions, alfredo sauce and truffle oil. An expensive indulgence, but I love the mostly crispy crust on all of the pies. Vito's Burrata ($13) starts with one of the best tomatoes you'll ever eat, along with lightly dressed arugula and fresh burrata. Crispy calamari ($12) is tossed with cherry peppers, scallions, lemon, tomatoes, basil and a light balsamic reduction. It's a unique and successful preparation. Roasted artichoke ($11) was a bit overdone one night, perfect on another. The Eggplant Parmesan appetizer ($9) isn't much to look at it, but great tasting if you like tomato sauce with a bite.
Entree excellence: Veal 42 ($22), a house specialty, ought to be better. The veal was hard to find underneath mounds of mozzarella and reggiano. It came with a side of rigatoni topped with veal Bolognese and more cheese: whipped ricotta, reggiano and pecorino breadcrumbs. Tender gnocchi ($16) was served with a nice light creamy pesto, but linguine ($14) was a bowl of overly salted tomato sauce and overcooked pasta. While Chicken marsala ($19) hit all the classic notes in its sauce, the chicken was overcooked and tough.
Sweet!: Sometimes simple is better, as in the excellent vanilla gelato dusted with cinnamon ($5). Stay away from the cannoli with the gluey filling ($7). Tiramisu ($7) was perfect one night and not so good on another night.
Service: Attentive and efficient, but not always as sophisticated as the menu or the decor.
Dining deal: $14 Empty Pasta Bowl Night Mondays gives diners a choice of linguini or penne pasta topped with pomodoro, spicy or pesto sauce and a complimentary half-bowl refill for $14. Refills can even be taken home for another meal. Burger Night Wednesdays offers $5 design-your-own burgers made from 100% Harris Ranch-farmed beef.
Liquid assets: On Sunday nights, wine priced under $50 is half price.
Contact dining correspondent John Tanasychuk at jtanasychuk@sunsentinel.com or write to him in care of Sun Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.