ever since we got to florida, our meals have been fantastic and delfino’s, right on the grounds of our resort, was no exception. upon walking in, it looked just like any other restaurant; white cloth covered tables, waitstaff dressed in collared shirts and black aprons and art specific to the restaurant’s location on the walls of the dining room. once we met our waitress, though, we knew instantly that we were in for a night of fantastic service and food to match.

to begin our meal, we could not help but order two appetizers, mussels in a garlicky broth with fresh lemon and grilled baguette slices and a delicious bruschetta consisting of warm balsamic olives and a thin layer of creamy goat cheese on crusty french bread. these dishes alone would have been enough to send me from the restaurant perfectly content. the mussels were pleasantly sweet and did not taste of, well, the ocean and the broth in which they floated was not only a fantastic pairing for the shellfish, but delicious sopped up by the smoky, charred bread. the bruschetta was equally as delicious and the fact that the olive mixture on top was warm provided a really unique combination, contrasted with the cool and creamy goat cheese. the tapenade was not too salty, as some olive concoctions are, and instead added the flavor of richly sweet and slightly tart balsamic vinegar.

moving into the main course, i opted for a lobster and asparagus risotto. this was probably the best risotto i have ever had. the arborio rice that made up most of the dish was tender and toothsome, proving that the chef knew exactly how to manage the tricky ingredient. often, arborio rice is over or under cooked, leading to a sub par risotto. mixed into the rice were huge chunks of sweet lobster meat, and copious amount of it at that. to add a little color to the dish, bright green and slightly crunchy diced asparagus mingled with the other components. the vegetable not only created some textural diversity, but made me feel a little better about the imminently fatty, cream-based entree.

to finish off the dinner, i ordered a slice of the restaurant’s renowned white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. typically, after such a rich meal i would have avoided dessert, but i’m on vacation. and we all know that calories don’t count on vacation, right?

bon appetit!

xx gabby