VENU Magazine Summer 2016 Issue Sizzles: Fred Bollaci Announces Inaugural U.S. Platinum Palate™ Donatello Italian Restaurant, a Tampa Landmark Since 1984!

Pictured: Donatello owners Guido and Gino Tiozzo

TAMPA, FLORIDA

Fred Bollaci, CEO/President of Palm Beach and New York-based Fred Bollaci Enterprises, the definitive healthy-gourmet lifestyle, food, wine, travel, fitness, and 21st Century “la dolce vita” lifestyle expert is proud to announce that the venerable Donatello Restaurant, a Tampa area landmark since 1984, owned by father-son duo, Guido and Gino Tiozzo, known for exceptional, authentic Italian cuisine, Old World, white glove service, romantic ambience, and “owners who are second to none in treating their guests like family, and not missing a beat to ensure the restaurant runs like clockwork” has been named the inaugural Platinum Palate™ Award Winner and Member for the United States, joining Toscana Saporita Cooking School and Chef/Author Sandra Rosy Lotti as prime examples of the Fred Bollaci brand of hospitality and lifestyle and his premier brand ambassadors worldwide, as he is theirs.

Fred: “Signor Guido, as I respectfully call Mr. Tiozzo Sr., exemplifies the very best of Old World, European hospitality, a kind of gentlemanly, professional graciousness and attention to detail, combined with a level of warmth and caring that set him, and his son Gino at the very top of the hospitality industry worldwide,” Bollaci said. “Donatello is a feast for all the senses and a treat for anyone fortunate enough to enjoy a meal there. It is more than a meal. It is an evening, an event. Plan on allowing at least a couple hours to enjoy the experience. Tampa is very fortunate to have such a world-class establishment and restaurateurs of this caliber, and it is a rare treat in this country to experience something on this level. It is not about the stars or diamonds. I have traveled the world and spent a lot of time in Italy, and they set the standard that only true professionals who have it in their DNA can achieve, it can’t be replicated. I am honored and humbled that Donatello and their family of caring, dedicated owners and staff, who have treated me and my family, friends, and associates like their family for over 30 years is is one of my foremost worldwide brand ambassadors, exemplifying what I am all about as a well-traveled, international connoisseur of the very best. As for healthy-gourmet, Donatello features the freshest, best cuisine, and offers many enticing options sure to please the most discerning diner, as well as anyone looking to enjoy the best and remain committed to health and wellness.”

As the inaugural Platinum Palate for the entire United States, Donatello is featured exclusively in Fred Bollaci’s Golden Palate Column in this summer’s issue of VENU Magazine, the premier contemporary art, culture, and luxury lifestyle publication in New York, distributed in top markets nationwide! To read the latest issue, click here. Magazines are distributed throughout the New York area, and arrived in Florida today. Copies will be available at Donatello in Tampa in the near future, as well as other top locales in key Florida markets including Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach, Tampa Bay-Sarasota, and Naples/Southwest Florida!

Oysters Fiorentina, baked with Spinach, Bechamel, and Parmigiano-Reggiano are a house specialty! Enjoy them with or without the addition of jumbo lump crabmeat.

The seafood salad at Donatello takes me straight to the Italian coast, whether the Mediterranean or Adriatic. Italians have a love affair with food, wine, and the art of living, and are fanatics about the freshness of their raw ingredients, be it the shrimp, calamari, or fresh, flavorful produce. Add in some quality extra virgin, and a squeeze of lemon, there you have it, simplicity and excellence of the Italian kitchen at its best!

No visit to Donatello would be complete without sampling their freshly made pasta. I liken the ethereal strands of Spinach Tagliatelle to poetry. Order the Tagliatelle alla Kathy for something truly outstanding and memorable–Spinach Pasta with tomato, mushrooms, and just a touch of cream simmered over a flame, tossed, and plated in the dining room so diners can enjoy the show and the aroma, you can’t get it better anywhere else!

Pasta “Frutti di Mare”

Donatello excels at everything food, from the simple grilled Rack of Lamb with garlic and rosemary, to the more decadent Filetto “Gioacchino Rossini,” with paté and Madeira sauce, and the best Caesar Salad anywhere, with freshly grated Reggiano-Parmigiano.

The elegant, romantic dining room is aglow in hues of salmon. Add in the roses, gold-leaf ceiling, and Venetian artwork, tuxedoed waiters with Italian accents, and luscious cuisine being prepared before your eyes, you’ll see why this is an extraordinary restaurant.

Although I don’t really have a sweet tooth, when it comes to Donatello, whose desserts are made fresh in-house daily, I often save a little room! The Napoleon Cake made with wafers of puff pastry and cream is amazing, but so is everything else! I highly recommend coming for a birthday celebration, the staff at Donatello sings the best rendition of “Happy Birthday,” or if you prefer “Tanti Auguri” around! Also, be sure to subscribe to their e-newsletter for reminders of special events, including their monthly Opera Night with amazing performers from Opera Tampa, as well as the much-anticipated annual Carnevale celebration where everyone dresses up to celebrate Mardi Gras (Martedi Grasso), Venetian-style!

The extensive, award-winning wine list at Donatello has one of the best selections of Italian wines from every region, and at every price point, as well as selections from the US, and around the world! Of course, there are the big names like Gaja, Tignanello, and Sassicaia, and an extensive list of Barolo, Brunello, Super Tuscan, and more, some familiar, some from boutique producers the owner knows from years of experience, and there are also some good values. Donatello is a great place to explore Italian wines, and perhaps try something like a Dolcetto or Barbera, as they have a great selection. The knowledgeable staff is pleased to guide you through the list and assist in helping you select the perfect bottle or bottles to complement your meal. There is also a respectable selection of wines by the glass.

With beautiful furnishings, rich mahogany, luxurious table linens, roses, and Venetian masks adorning the walls, reflecting the owners’ heritage, the comfortable, beautiful, luxurious, Old World-style lounge and piano bar at Donatello, is a favorite among locals and visitors to the Tampa area for their live music and excellent cocktails! I’ve enjoyed many aperitivi and night caps here with family and friends over the years, and have even stopped in for a coffee and dessert and to listen to the music after attending a performance or sporting event in town.

Any visit to Tampa must include an evening at Donatello, in fact any food and lifestyle connoisseur who wants to experience the best of Italian cuisine and hospitality should experience this! Anytime I am in Florida and am “homesick” for Italy, I head to Donatello!