Have you eaten at Bravo! Cucina Italiana yet? We went last night up to Bravo! in Grand Rapids, Michigan  to taste their new spring menu, and let me tell you - I was impressed. This national restaurant offers fresh, delicious Italian food in a convivial atmosphere. We loved it.

The Taste Good - Feel Food Spring Menu is a two-course meal that is affordable, hearty, and pleasing meal for lunch or dinner. It is available until April 15. Here are the options: 

Soup or side salad (choose one): 
BRAVO Chopped Salad: Chopped greens, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olives, Feta, red wine vinaigrette
Caesar Classica: Traditional Caesar salad with housemade croutons
Insalata Della Casa: Chopped greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, bacon, crispy pasta, Parmesan dressing
Soup Del Giorno
Lobster Bisque with sherry and diced shrimp (for an additional $1)

Entrée (choose one): 
Romano Crusted Tilapia: Crispy fingerling potatoes, spinach, Napoli sauce, Sriracha aioli
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp: Orzo, farro, red peppers, zucchini, haricot vert, Feta, fennel cream
Chianti Braised Beef Ravioli: Sangiovese braised beef-filled ravioli, roasted sweet potatoes, brown butter, sage

Now that you're hungry, let me tell you more.

We arrived after driving through a wind storm that left downtown Kalamazoo and parts of Grand Rapids without power. So the warm lighting, friendly service, and tasty meal were more than welcome. 

One thing I love when we eat out is the service. Our waitress, Amanda, was 5 months pregnant and had been a waitress for 19 years (! to both!). She was funny, outgoing, and very attentive. The restaurant manager, Manny, went to every table and talked with customers. He sat down with us and answered my questions about the food, staff, and customer experience - and noted that everyone is treated as a friend, here. As we knew firsthand from Amanda's service, customer satisfaction is key to a successful dining experience. But both Amanda and Manny shared that a happy staff is also important (as we know, but seeing it in action is another thing). I was impressed by the delicious food coming from a well-run kitchen. I also talked with Chef Fuller about food allergies, since my husband can't eat dairy, and he came up with an incredible meal for Ed. This type of service? It's rare, and refreshing. 

Eating out with your kids? There's a cute kids' pack, with a maze (of Italy!) and cars and fashion to color. The children's menu is extremely affordable, and includes a beverage (try the strawberry lemonade - yum!).

So on to our meals. I LOVE lobster bisque. So when I saw it on the spring menu, you can bet that all thoughts of salad fled my mind. It was a bit spicy, thoroughly creamy, and tasted like lobster silk. If you're not a lobster bisque person, the Caesar salad was perfect, Lillie said. Light, lemony dressing, fresh lettuce, and crunchy croutons with plenty of cheese. There are freshly baked herb rolls, served with olive oil and herbs.

Lillie had the Romano Crusted Tilapia. She just said that the crust was phenomenal, and the fish was creamy. The sauce was perfectly balanced, and complemented the potatoes and spinach. (I have a food writer in the house!). My braised beef ravioli was outstanding, with silky beef (can you sense a theme to my meal?), bits of roasted sweet potato, and fried sage leaves. We both have leftovers, and that will be our lunch (yahoo!). Manny noted that Bravo! not only has fresh food (the fish is much fresher than at most restaurants), but the portions are designed to leave some for lunch, if a customer chooses. Ed, in his dairy-free meal, had grilled salmon (some of the best he's had, he said - crisp on the outside, tender on the inside) over pasta that included asparagus, roasted peppers, spinach, basil, lemon, and white wine. All three of us loved our meals.

And then... dessert. It didn't help that we could see the dessert tray, sitting in the sunlight streaming through the windows. There is much to choose from, but Ed got a bowl of fresh fruit, Lillie chose the New York style cheesecake with shortbread cookie crust, carmelized with fresh berries, and I got the warm chocolate lava cake. It was the perfect ending to an outstanding meal.

Learn more:
http://www.bravoitalian.com

https://twitter.com/bravo_italian

And follow along on social media, by searching #mybravo

All photos courtesy and copyright Wandering Educators