News-Journal staffer Kathy Kelly and her friend, Margie Schlageter, paid a visit to Aurelia's, a restaurant in operation here for about 30 years at several different locations.
Aurelia, a cookbook author who specializes in Northern Italian cooking, is back at a previous location, tucked away in a little shopping center on South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores.
Are there any specials in addition to the regular dinner menu?
As luck would have it, we dined there on a Tuesday, which is Festa Della Pasta night, offering a variety of 11 pasta dishes, complete with salad, bread and a complimentary glass of wine for $15.95.
What did you order?
The experience of dining out Italian means pasta to me, so I ordered from the special menu, Rigatoni Aurelia, noodles topped by a light cream sauce with meat. My rigatoni was cooked just right and I polished off the entire serving.
Margie's selection was one of her favorites here, Beef Braciola de Carne, which was not on the menu on this particular evening, but that didn't stop her from asking if it was available -- and it was.
The rolled, stuffed beef classic was made from a top-round, center-cut piece of beef, butterflied and pounded into submission, stuffed with prosciutto, a blend of cheeses, eggs, spices and fresh garlic then slow roasted in the oven and topped with tomato sauce and fresh mushrooms. There is no worry here about food prepared in bulk, then reheated. The menu boasts of using "only the finest, freshest ingredients."
How was the service?
Our server was prompt and attentive. Our wine was followed by a green, crisp salad topped with a homemade dressing that we enjoyed with the warm bread. You can opt for olive oil and spices or go for my favorite -- old fashioned butter.
Our salads were followed by my pasta and Margie's beef dish. Although she could have had a variety of pasta options for a side dish, she chose steamed broccoli. Only when we were finished did we notice that our server had forgotten to bring Margie's soup. She had already realized the omission and produced a serving for us to take home.
What are some of the other offerings?
Grouper Aurelia is a favorite here, a hearty, skinned filet poached in a white wine, lemon and garlic butter sauce for $27. For the lighter appetite, there are a variety of appetizers including mozzarella caprisi, which is fresh cheese and tomatoes with an olive oil dressing, with a hint of oregano and balsamic vinegar for $9. A side dish that sounded particularly tasty was melanzane Romano -- eggplant dipped in egg and flour, lightly pan fried, then stuffed with a variety of cheeses and topped with Aurelia's marinara sauce, for $9.
Even though you ate heartily, did you save room for dessert?
You bet. Who could pass up the light and tasty tiramisu and almond cream cake, offerings that we split and shared. Each was $5.95. A rich looking chocolate cake was very tempting as well.
Who is this Aurelia the restaurant is named for?
Aurelia is a native of Rome whose early experience of cooking for her husband and his friends gave her the confidence to open her own restaurant. An accomplished painter, her works line the walls of the cozy restaurant. Aurelia makes it a point to stop by the tables of all the diners to ask if they enjoyed their meal. The friendly way of this petite chef makes the dining experience a very personal one. Her business partner at the restaurant is Denise Duarte.
What did your meals cost?
Margie's beef dish was $28 and mine was $15.95. Margie's wine was $7 and each dessert was $5.95. The total was $78.94, which included a 20 percent tip.
Aurelia's Restaurant
WHERE: 3218 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores
ACCESSIBILITY: Restaurant is on one level
HOURS: 4 p.m. to closing Tuesday through Sunday
MISC: Accepts Visa and MasterCard
CONTACT: 386-788-4266
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