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New Al Caprese Restaurant and Pizzeria gets rave reviews

By Staff | Nov 16, 2010

ANDREA GALABINSKI Husband and wife owners Monique and James Brand in front of new Al Caprese Restaurant.

The new Al Caprese Restaurant and Pizzeria is receiving compliments from its customers.

The bistro is located in Weavers Corner Shopping Center – the Winn Dixie Plaza – at the far end facing Bayshore Road.

One cannot miss the picturesque exterior. An Italian scene has been recreated over the windows. Inside, there are Tuscany murals, along with brightly painted walls and a small fireplace.

The atmosphere is not the best part – it is the food, according to patrons who are discovering the business.

It has only been open a few weeks, but already there is a word-of-mouth following. The secret is in the sauces, many say.

ANDREA GALABINSKI Monique Brand inside of the new restaurant, by a well-decorated Italian landscape with fireplace.

The owners are James and Monique Brand.

James Brand is a master chef, who has been trained by both a French and Italian chef. He has worked at restaurants, country clubs and resorts.

Monique Brand also has extensive, restaurant management experience.

The business is an extensive family affair. The couple’s daughter, Melissa, is a highly-schooled chef, who also works in the kitchen.

“She worked with her dad, went to culinary school and was classically trained,” Monique Brand said. “She loves it.”

“I love working with my daughter,” James Brand said. “She has an excellent palette and an eye for detail.”

They have more than 70 years of restaurant and hospitality service experience combined between them, but they looked forward to owning their own place, something they had never done before.

Everything is made fresh at the restaurant. They even make their own hot fudge for desserts.

“It is our secret recipe,” James Brand said.

It is one of his favorites, along with the pomodoro sauce.

“We are doing traditional Italian-American sauces and classics,” he said.

The exterior is a bistro-esque Italian window-scape. They picked the location because they are North Fort Myers residents.

“We live close by, and it is the perfect size we wanted – not huge, but intimate,” Monique Brand said.

The decor inside is bright and colorful, sporting Tuscan countryside murals.

There are lunch and dinner specials daily, and for those on a budget, there are some great prices. A small, New York-style crust pizza is $5.

Appetizers include the traditional, like calamari, stuffed mushrooms and more. The pepperoni boccacinos are very popular, costing only $4.50.

There is also a tomato fondue for $6.95, which is baked fontina, herbs, tomato ragout and flatbread chips.

For dinner, there are many items. There are house specialties, including the shrimp fra diavlo.

“It is sauteed jumbo shrimp in a spicy pomodoro sauce,” James Brand said. “I love our pomodoro sauce, and it’s as simple as it gets.”

Simple yet delicious, patrons said.

Harold and Judy Priest, of North Fort Myers, were recently there for lunch and recommend the food.

“It’s every bit as good as the former owner’s place – if not better,” Harold Priest said.

“The calzones were wonderful,” Judy Priest added.

Kay and Charlie Moon joined them for lunch.

“We’ve had a very good experience and would recommend this place highly,” Charlie Moon said.

“We already have,” Kay Moon said.

Customers like them have started recommending the bistro to other friends.

Kristen Hannah, of Cape Coral, is a key server.

“I love it here,” she said. “These people are wonderful, the owners and the customers.”

There are pastas including linguini, penne, fettuccini and more. There are also subs, pizza and calzones. All available to go.

Al Caprese Restaurant and Pizzeria is located at 4529 Bayshore Road, at the end of the Weavers Corner shopping plaza. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week. The telephone number is 217-0500.