Pannullo's Italian Restaurant

We had a very nice meal on a recent Friday night at Pannullo's Italian Restaurant in Winter Park. We first stopped by for a glass of wine on the Sidewalk on a beautiful Friday afternoon. But after walking up and down Park Avenue in search of someplace good to eat, we returned here as the menu and ambience were the most inviting we saw--we were not disappointed.

We started off with some wine and began our meal with an appetizer of Cheese Triangles: lightly breaded and fried mozzarella, muenster, and provolone cheeses, served with a marinara sauce. They were delicious and the marinara was excellent, one of the best I've ever had. It was a good way to begin.

We started dinner with salads and bread. The House Salad was an excellent mix of lettuce, olives, a few grape tomatoes, some mushrooms, red onions, a pepperoncini, and a house Italian dressing. The salad was fresh and flavorful and sure hit the spot. The bread was very soft and still warm, served with some olive oil and garlic--there may have been a touch of clarified butter in there as well. But it was very good and was also slightly warmed, a nice touch.  

For his meal, Tommy ordered the Fettucini Alfredo with blackened Chicken. It was very, very good. The Fettucini Alfredo was nice and cream and rich and had a huge cheese flavor. The blackened chicken was cooked perfectly and the spiciness of the blackening added a nice contrast to the creamy and smooth cheese flavors of the Alfredo sauce. Besides the huge flavor, it was also a huge portion, and we had a nice to-go to enjoy at home another time. 

For my entree I had the Chicken Gorgonzolla, a fair-sized breast of chicken that was stuffed with pepperoni and gorgonzola cheese, then served in a roasted red pepper gorgonzola sauce on a bed of fettucini. I loved this dish. the gorgonzola was not overpowering, but was very subtle. The roasted red peppers added a wonderful gentle heat, and the pepperoni added a spicy surprise to the chicken. As with Tommy's portion, this was huge, and I left with a substantial portion to enjoy at home at a later time.

When we first arrived at Pannullo's (the second time, that is), it was not very busy, but was also early on a Friday evening. But by the time we left, it was quite busy. We sat outside on the porch, right along the sidewalk (where there were other tables). The space had some overhead radiant heaters which took the chill off the Fall evening air. It was a beautiful night and great to eat outside. Our waitress, Steph, was efficient, friendly, knowledgeable, and fast, and provided good service. We really enjoyed our meal here. It was an excellent choice and a fine dining experience on Park Avenue in Winter Park.