First look: Vincente's

EDITOR'S NOTE: This isn't a review, per se, just a first glance at a new eatery.

I've been curious about the new Vincente's on Kirkwood Highway since getting notice several months ago that Vincent Mancari was relocating his Italian restaurant to Library Plaza across from All Saints Cemetery. It opened earlier this month.

A good many of the dishes are under $20, though the veal and steak can creep up. I think the highest prices entree is about $27.

The restaurant has two separate dining rooms and a big bar in the middle. The night of our visit one of the dining rooms was about three-quarters of the way filled and the bar was busy.

Many servers are young and enthusiastic, almost too enthusiastic. Some swooped in and cleared away an appetizer and bread before we were finished eating and in the process removed our knives and never replaced them. After trying to in vain get someone's attention for replacements, we finally snatched some utensils off another table.

Our very friendly waitress brought us each an "amuse-bouche" of what I believe she called "Flounder Vincente" - one of house specials - that she says the owner likes to share with all his customers. It had a nicely seasoned, crunchy exterior and the fish was moist. The small piece fish was put on a white plate sans garnish or any other flourishes, which is a first for me. It was exactly like giving someone a taste of something - as you would do at home. Interesting. Next came gratis toasted bread with an soft, orange cheese squeezed on the top - somewhat like mustard is squeezed on to a hot dog.

We didn't order the tableside Caesar made by Mr. Mancari - something my family often did when we visited Vincente's old Wilmington location. (The photo above is from The News Journal archives.) But many diners, some obviously longtime fans, knew this was the way to go. It's pure theater - something you don't often find in restaurants today. Servers roll a cart tableside and then the 78-year-old master salad maker starts by beating the wooden bowl with his salad tongs. He often chats up customers as he works his magic with romaine, anchovies, vinegar, oil and seasonings. The best part? Watching Mancari toss the locatelli cheese into the bowl from a distance. During our visit, he hit it with the accurancy of an NBA foul shooter to the delight of many diners.

My favorite dish was a shared appetizer of eggplant rolantine ($9.95) with sausage, cheese and spinach in a red sauce. I could eat a whole entree of this and would have finished the dish if an over-eager employee hadn't whisked it away.

The Veal Crab Louisa ($20.95) is a veal cutlet topped with cheese that also includes prosciutto, crab meat and mushrooms in a light white wine sauce. There were a lot of competing flavors on the plate that, after a few bites, become muddled.

You'd better be a big garlic lover when it comes to the shrimp scampi ($19.95). Our dish had several whole cloves dotted throughout. The dish came with a side of spaghetti with a sweet tasting red sauce that won't make me forget my mother's or grandmother's sauce anytime soon.