Dining Out: Lunch About Town

Café Ruelle, La Piazza and Presseller Delicatessen offer up some of the best lunches in town.

Each month we invite you into a local restaurant for dinner with one of our resident epicures. Whether you’re in the mood for a phenomenal steak, authentic Italian cuisine, flavorful Thai food or the freshest seafood around, we have shown you where to go for an evening out.

As we sat around thinking about the next restaurant to take you to, our stomachs started rumbling. It was around noon. We took a break from selecting a restaurant for our next issue and switched our focus to selecting one for ourselves. The usual problem ensued. We just couldn’t make up our minds. There are just so many fantastic places to go for lunch, especially in Punta Gorda. Which one would we go to today?

That’s when it hit us, so many of our favorite restaurants in town are only open for lunch, maybe breakfast. Every month we sit around and decide what restaurant to showcase, but our favorite places, those places we go all the time, never get any love because every month we focus on dinner.

So, our wonderful and loyal readers, we present to you our first ever HARBOR STYLE Dining Review, Lunch Style! To kick off our inaugural lunch review, we chose three of our very favorite lunch locales. We will be touching on more fabulous lunching locations in the future.

HARBOR STYLE would like to thank Mark and Jan Fantil at Café Ruelle, Mike and Michelle Papa at La Piazza and Jerry Presseller at Presseller Gallery & Delicatessen for providing our reviewer with such fantastic luncheon experiences.

Café Ruelle 117 W. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda
(941) 575-3553 www.caferuelle.com
Monday–Thursday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
La Piazza, The Italian Market 2705 Tamiami Trail, Ste. 216, Punta Gorda
(941) 639-0006
Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Presseller’s Gallery & Delicatessen 209 W. Olympia Ave., Punta Gorda
(941) 639-3990 www.pressellergallery.com
Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. 3rd Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Café Ruelle

A Charming Location with Amazing Food, Sinful Sweets and Some of the Best Coffee in Town

Right in the heart of burgeoning downtown Punta Gorda is a “Hidden Gem” located in the garden alleyway between Marion Avenue and Herald Court. As you walk along the charming brick-paved walkway and underneath the lush arbor, the heady aroma of fresh brewed coffee beckons you inside Café Ruelle.

On this particular afternoon, my mother and I dined together; it was the perfect place to have a quiet conversation and a delightful lunch. We were greeted by the owners, Mark and Jan Fanstil, and told to sit anywhere we wanted in the warm, inviting dining room where paintings from local artists hung alongside cute wall-hangings informing patrons that “Coffee is not a drug, it’s a vitamin.” We decided to sit inside, but just beyond the set of double doors is a large courtyard if you prefer to dine al fresco.

From the well-appointed lunch menu, we first decided to split the spinach salad. The salad of tender baby spinach leaves, topped generously with goat cheese, toasted almonds and dried cranberries and finished with mild balsamic vinaigrette, was large enough for two people and easily satisfied both of us. I especially enjoyed the gamey flavor of the goat cheese paired with the toasted almonds and sweet balsamic.

From the selection of wraps, I narrowed my choice to the turkey breast with cheddar cheese. The wrap came to the table overflowing with thick slices of turkey, sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, sweet roasted red peppers and crunchy sprouts all rounded out with a slathering of smoky chipotle mayonnaise. A mound of flavorful veggie chips and a pickle took up the rest of the plate, making for a very filling meal.

As mom’s chicken salad croissant came out, we were surprised at how large the portion was. The croissant itself was large and fluffy, but with the large heaping spoonful of homemade chicken salad, tomato slices and romaine lettuce on top, it turned into a truly impressive sandwich.

No lunch out with mom would be complete without dessert and coffee, so even though we went on and on about how full we were, we made room for sweets and caffeine. Had it been a little later in the day, I might have gone for a glass of wine, too. Café Ruelle, although small, boasts a stocked wine cellar with choices ranging from a Pinot Grigio from Washington to a Red Meritage Penny Black from South Africa.

Anyway, back to dessert. I already knew what I wanted as I had perused the dessert case when I first entered. The Key lime pie instantly stole my heart like a puppy in the window at the pet store. As my fork slid through the silky pale green custard, I let out a little gasp. Even before I put it in my mouth I knew I would love it. And I did. I almost forgot about the Bailey’s Irish Crème cheesecake, but luckily I caught a glimpse of the towering confection in front of my mother, and she was gracious enough to share with me. A piping hot cup of fresh-brewed coffee held off the sugar-induced coma just long enough for us to thank Mark and Jan for their hospitality and wonderful food.

La Piazza

Hearty, Meaty Sandwiches and Homemade, Authentic Italian Food at Your Italian Market

La Piazza is my local Italian market, and it’s yours, too. When I want imported Italian olive oil, the very best prosciutto or authentic Parmigiano Reggiano, I drive over to the Towles Plaza in Punta Gorda and place my order with Mike and Michelle Papa.

The open feel of La Piazza is both welcoming and familiar. The smell of tomatoes, basil and fresh bread permeate every inch of the retail and dining area. If you’re in a hurry, just head to the counter and place your to go order for the Manhattan hero: fried chicken cutlets, honey ham, melted cheddar and honey mustard. If you can sit and stay a while like my guest and I, pull up a chair at the bar in front of the meat case and enjoy the sights and sounds of a real Italian deli.

As we waited for our entrées, my guest and I perused the drink case, where we found the usual soft drinks mingling with Italian favorites like San Pellegrino. After choosing our beverages, we were offered Mike’s specialty rice balls and a hearty Italian antipasti. The rice balls were rich and tender with a sharp, cheesy bite that was oh so satisfying. The antipasti was impressively complex with a nice mix of cubed cheeses, meats and olives.

I ordered the bacon burger to spite my personal trainer. This monster burger is the bigger, meaner, bacon-ier cousin of the quarter pounder with cheese. Although the hamburger itself was very good, its flavor was merely secondary to that of the smoky sweet bacon and cheddar cheese that enveloped it inside the toasted bun.

My guest decided on the pressed Little Italy with Citterio meats. The Little Italy should be called the Meaty Cheesy Italy. It’s filled to bursting with ham, cappicola, salami, pepperoni, mortadella and provolone accompanied by roasted peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and oil and balsamic vinegar. It’s more than a mouthful. Of course I offered to help her, but only after she helped me finish off the monster bacon burger.

In true Italian fashion, Mike and Michelle kept the food coming, ever proud of their creations. Mike’s hand-rolled meatballs were wonderful. I’ve been known to make my own meatballs, but it’s so much easier to go to La Piazza and enjoy them there, hassle free, along with his homemade marinara sauce. I would be remiss if I passed on the opportunity to tell you about Mike’s tasty marinara sauce, made with fresh ingredients from hard-working local farmers. You can almost taste the hand-picked tomatoes and basil.

The running theme at La Piazza is fresh, homemade, authentic Italian food. Whether you’re in the mood to make your own dinner with imported pasta, sauce and cheeses, or if you want to let the Papas make dinner for you, La Piazza has something for you. Stop by and chat with Mike about where he gets his long fusili pasta, or bone up on your Italian skills with Michelle over fresh cappuccino. Either way, you’re more than welcome in Punta Gorda’s very own piece of Italy.

Presseller Delicatessen

Extensive and Delicious Deli Menu Inspired by,and Surrounded by, Art

Presseller’s Delicatessen was that place in Punta Gorda I always heard of but never went into for one reason or another. Now that I’ve had the pleasure of dining there, I plan to put Presseller’s on my favorites list and frequent this funky, artsy joint more often.

My roommate and I visited Presseller Delicatessen and Art Gallery on a beautiful, cool, fall Florida day, perfect for dining al fresco. Before ordering, we walked around the gallery section, which also doubles as a dining area. As we admired the art both on the walls and the tables, our hunger won out and we wandered back to the deli counter.

The extensive deli menu is inspired by renowned artists and painters. The Renior features Norwegian smoked salmon, goat cheese, onions and tomatoes on a croissant. The Rockwell piles turkey, ham, roast beef and American cheese onto pumpernickel bread. I suppose if you had nothing to talk about over lunch, a discussion of what type of sandwich your favorite artist would be could pass the time.

My sandwich choice was the hands-down Charlotte County favorite according to the chef, the Chicken Charlotte. Tender chicken breast strips, lightly breaded and sautéed in garlic butter — wait it gets better — drizzled with hollandaise sauce and served on a French roll. How did everything I love turn up in sandwich form? Butter, garlic and hollandaise sauce! It sounds good on paper right? Go now, get in your car, drive to Presseller’s and order this sandwich. Now! That’s my official endorsement of the Chicken Charlotte.

To appease our healthier side, we also ordered the Greek salad. One of my favorite TV chefs wisely says, “We eat first with our eyes.” Well, the Greek salad was first beautiful and then it was tasty. The vibrant spring greens, bright red tomatoes and deep purple kalamata olives sprinkled with sliced, toasted almonds and topped with little white clouds of creamy goat cheese was paired nicely with homemade Greek salad dressing. I was taken back to Cyprus with every bite.

Of course, after our healthy salad, we dug into the aptly named Better than Sex dessert. The racy name simply implies that the chocolate pudding with cream cheese and whipped cream atop a walnut crust is, “So good it makes you want to smoke a cigarette after you eat it.”

In addition to offering fantastic food, Presseller’s also hosts live music, wine tastings and art showings on a regular basis. The shady outdoor patio area is a perfect place to host a small luncheon or just sit and listen to the birds. Adorned with knick knacks and cute sayings throughout the seating area, you won’t be bored just looking around enjoying the scenery.

As with many hometown restaurants and shops, Presseller’s is also philanthropic. They donate a portion of every “Build Your Own Sandwich” order to Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity.

Unlike before, when I would simply drive by the deli, it will now take concerted effort on my part not to stop by every day just to try something new on the menu.