Clematis Street's challenge to Atlantic Avenue as Palm Beach's premier Restaurant Row calls and raises one more with the debut of Luigi's Italian Restaurant (118 Clematis St., 561-833-4456) in the former Cabana space a meatball's throw from West Palm's revitalized waterfront.
Proprietor Glenn Frechter, who also owns the Cabana chainlet, tabbed one-time Café Martorano chef Nelson Benitez to head up the kitchen of the casual, modestly priced joint, where only one entrée tops $20.
There is, of course, pizza, from the DIY American-style pie to
specialty pizzas like ones with Little Neck clams, garlic, white wine
and parsley and the classic pizza bianca.
The usual starters
(meatballs, fried calamari, minestrone) give way to an assortment of
heroes and paninis, a lengthy list of pastas (spaghetti carbonara, penne
alla vodka and baked ziti among them), and entrees that include veal
medallions in a variety of guises, shrimp scampi and zuppa de pesce.
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