Santhino’s

An Extensive Menu of Fine International Dishes
Makes for a True Fine Dining Experience

They say in a small town, there are no secrets and that good news travels fast. Evidently, Punta Gorda isn’t a small town, and people just aren’t spreading good news like they used to.

Despite being exposed to at least 50 locals a day in one capacity or another, nobody told me we have been blessed with Santhino’s, a relatively new fine dining restaurant. In Charlotte County, this is big news for fine food lovers like me, and yet, if it weren’t for this assignment, I might never have found this treasure of a family owned and operated restaurant.

Let’s start with the family part. I’m not talking family diner or family style. I’m talking Julie Vespia, the manager; her husband Brian, the master chef; their son Brandon, the knowledgeable and attentive waiter; twin 15-year old daughters, one serves and one helps in back; and Julie’s mother, the hostess, all working together to create and serve a fantastic meal.

Santhino’s, which is tucked away between the Medicine Shoppe and Acme Bike Shop in the Cross Trails Center, originally opened under the prior owners as a Peruvian restaurant and had a loyal following of lovers of rich, South American cuisine. Chef Brian has kept the favorites from the Peruvian menu and added his Italian background to offer a truly international selection of the freshest seafood and finest meats.

The dining room is warm with subdued lighting and double linens. The formally clad wait staff reminded me of Chantelle’s or Pepin’s when they were at their peak as Charlotte County landmarks. I think anyone who enjoyed either of those fine dining restaurants of our past would be as thrilled as I was after my dining experience at Santhino’s. Forget the fact that you’re in a storefront restaurant. Some of the best kept secrets in New York dining require a sharp cabbie to find them among blocks and blocks of small stores. A small bar in the back offers drinks and an incredible wine selection, and there are even a few outside tables for the lunch crowd.

One feature of Peruvian cuisine is ceviche. This fresh seafood appetizer is traditionally made with white fish, scallops, shrimp, mussels or calamari and “cured” in fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juice. Santhino’s ceviche mixto is made with grouper, shrimp, calamari and scallops and then seasoned with cilantro and a special hot sauce blended in to taste. I like mine tart, and given that Chef Brian made the dish to order with the obligatory 20–30 minute marinating time, it was perfect. Curing too long can harden the delicate seafood. But this ceviche was perfectly seasoned and not raw, but not truly cooked. A crisp sauvignon blanc brought out the flavors and complimented the dish well.

Two other Peruvian staples on the appetizer menu are papa a la huancaina, boiled potatoes in a creamy cheese and yellow pepper sauce, and choritos a la chalaca, mussels on the half shell with a yellow pepper salsa fresca. Santhino’s also offers more typical choices like fried calamari and nightly appetizer specials, such as homemade lobster ravioli in a cream sauce. The flavor of the lobster was sweet, not cooked away, and the sauce was delicate. The lobster and crab bisque — one of the best I’ve had — was creamy, rich and robust.

Santhino’s dinner menu is extensive and includes several nightly specials. Four types of beef dishes, four veal dishes, six Peruvian entrees, four seafood selections and several Italian specialties made choosing impossible, so I’m glad they made up my mind for me. The lamb medallions in a mint and fig reduction were tender and retained their sweetness, as good lamb should. The reduction was delicate and not overbearing. The vegetables were steamed to their vibrant peak of color and flavor. The Caribbean grouper with lemongrass mango sauce was delicate in texture and tropically fruity like dishes I’ve had in Jamaica or Antigua. Given the made-toorder quality and vibrant and imaginative flavors we experienced, I’ll assume the satisfied look on the other patrons faces indicate you can’t make a bad choice on this menu. Prices were surprisingly reasonable given the quality, with all menu entrees under $23.

We chose two desserts to sample, but the flan was so popular that we missed out on the last piece. Patrons at an adjacent table attested to its creamy texture and sweet sauce. The tiramisu was excellent, full of flavor and as light as whipped cream. I’ll be sure to go back with my wife and order one of each so as to not miss those two distinct flavors and textures.

I enjoyed my Santhino’s dining experience so much, I actually went back two days later for lunch. Just as dinner, it was delicious. A roasted red pepper crab bisque made me want to carry out a quart for dinner. A full menu of salads, sandwiches, wraps and “the best burger in town” is available for lunch in addition to their five early bird specials for dinner. My grilled salmon with lemon sauce over linguine, with salad on the side, for $12.95 was great.

So, why did it take me eight months to find out about this place? It’s the kind of food that makes you want to tell people about it. Maybe their current regulars don’t want to risk not getting a table once my clients and friends start coming, but I’m certainly not keeping this find a secret. For anyone who misses the Pepin’s and Chantelle’s fine dining experiences of the past or for those who just love international cuisine, try Santhino’s for a memorable dining experience.

Santhino’s is located at 615 Cross St. in Punta Gorda. Hours of operation are Tuesday–Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and Tuesday–Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner. Reservations are suggested Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Call (941) 833- 0380 for reservations and information.

HARBOR STYLE would like to thank the entire Vespia family for providing our reviewer with such a wonderful evening.