It’s rare for me to venture outside of my Boca/Delray bubble, but when a potentially good meal is calling my name, how can I say no? There are a bazillion restaurants here in South Florida, and new ones are popping up here and there everyday. Sometimes it’s hard to decide which ones are worth giving a shot—they need an it-factor, something that makes me feel like I can’t miss out on this particular dining experience. New to Fort Lauderdale is Tony D’s, an Italian eatery hailing from Rochester, New York. When it comes to Italian cuisine, New Yorkers are pretty much on point. That was the it-factor that drew me in—and so was a picture of one of their pizzas I saw on their Instagram account. I didn’t know what else to expect from Tony D’s, but I had a feeling it was going to be pretty good.
The restaurant itself has a great vibe. The huge open-air bar provides more than enough space for someone to host a party or event, and with a prime location not far from the beach, it’s bound to be a hit spot with locals and visitors alike. A fresh basket of bread hit the table along with that classic olive oil-parmesan spread for dipping we all know and love. This one, however, was one of the most flavorful olive oil dips I’ve ever encountered. I wanted to completely submerge my piece of bread in it until it was thoroughly soaked through—but that would have looked gluttonous, and although it was hard, I refrained.
My absolute favorite dish of the night was nothing crazy, over-the-top or even that pretty to look at. But it was perfect, nonetheless. A true test of an Italian restaurant lies in how they prepare the simplest of dishes. Take Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe—thin spaghetti with pecorino romano and black pepper. Does it get any simpler than this? I think not. It may be simple, but when done well, it is certainly not lacking in the flavor department—perfectly cooked al dente pasta and a balanced amount of salty pecorino and black pepper. Tony D’s did it right and got two thumbs up from me, and everyone at my table as well.
Tony D’s is located at 3300 NE 32nd St. in Fort Lauderdale. They offer a “$7 until 7” happy hour menu from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. All wines by the glass are 50% off, wines by the bottle are 25% off, and cocktails of the day and flavored Bellinis are $7. To read my full review, visit Take A Bite Out of Boca.