A long time staple on the Vero beachside restaurant scene has been Monte’s on South Beach, which has always had its fans but which we for many years thought was overpriced and overrated. But we had not been back since it changed ownership four years ago, so we decided to check in and see whether things have changed for the better.
On the whole, they appear to have improved (but with an asterisk we will get to later). The evening at this traditional Italian restaurant got off to a promising start when the four of us were promptly seated (not always the case in the past) on arrival for our 7 p.m. reservation.
Monte’s appears to do a strong early business, because the restaurant was nearly full when we came. But it began clearing out around 9, and by 10 on a Saturday night, only a couple of parties lingered at their tables.
Our server quickly arrived with a basket of warm Italian bread to take our drink order. Monte’s has always boasted that it has the most extensive wine list in Vero Beach (which may well be true) but it offers relatively few modestly priced selections. We ordered a $35 bottle (which ultimately cloned itself) adding $70 to the bill for a couple of glasses of an okay wine.
For appetizers, we started with stuffed mushrooms ($8.95) and baked clams oregano ($8.95). The mushrooms, served in a bordelaise sauce, were quite dry (even spooning the sauce over them didn’t save this dish). The baked clams oregano, however, were well prepared and very tasty.
While Monte’s offers a variety of salads including the traditional Caesar, house salads are included in price of all entrees , and they turned out to be more-than-adequate mixed salads served with a variety of dressings.
The entrees were where Monte’s came close to living up to the raves of its fans. I had the Shrimp Scampi ($23.95), and the very nice shrimp were served in one of the tastiest butter, wine, lemon and garlic sauces that I have enjoyed recently. My companion had the Veal Sofia ($22.95), an excellent rendition of veal scaloppini with sautéed shallots and wild mushrooms, served in a wonderful amarone reduction sauce.
The other couple dining with us tried two chicken dishes – the Chicken Napalitano ($19.95) and the Chicken Parmigiana ($18.95). The chicken in both dishes was very tender and cooked perfectly. The Chicken Napalitano, chicken breast topped with prosciutto, roasted peppers, sliced tomators and mozzarella cheese, was a big hit, and our other friend raved about the Chicken Parmigiana .
Now for the asterisk. All dishes except pasta entrees come with a side of pasta, which on this night was penne in a heavy, cloying tomato sauce. Beyond the fact that the penne was clearly overcooked, the sauce had a strangely bitter taste noted by all four of us.
When we brought this to the attention of the otherwise very good waiter, he apparently despaired of improving the dishes because instead of offering to replace the pasta sides, he asked if we would like to have him take them away.
While this left us with a bit of a sour aftertaste, an excellent Tiramisu ($7.95) accompanied by an espresso ($3.50) came close to saving the night. But when the check for four is $195 before tip, diners have a right to expect all the dishes to be cooked properly, and when you point out a flaw to the waiter, you are entitled to expect the restaurant to take steps to make you happy.
Neither of those occurred at Monte’s, and despite the excellent entrees, we cannot agree with those who believe this belongs in the top tier of Vero Beach restaurants. I welcome your comments. Send them to tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
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