Fast Break: Caprese salad and stuffed shells at Palermo Ristorante

As sad as we were to see Latte e Miele go, it seems a capable successor has taken over the empty space on Jefferson Highway.

Palermo Ristorante, a new project by Wayne Stabiler of The Little Village and Stab’s Seafood & Steaks fame, has updated the building with black and white mosaic tile, white tablecloths and a full bar. As far as weekday lunches go, it’s on the pricier end of the spectrum, but the flavors are well worth it.

Starting off with complimentary soft, crusty rolls topped with Parmesan, the plate of Red Stick Spice Company herbs and olive oil will have you dragging chunks of bread through it to sop up whatever’s left. Just try not to lick the plate.

For a small up-charge, you can upgrade the side salad for your entree to a Caprese salad—a highly recommended option, even though the house salad’s choice of strawberry balsamic and blood orange vinaigrettes is intriguing. This take on the traditional Caprese invokes tomatoes on the vine with cherry heirloom tomatoes, fresh balls of mozzarella and strings of basil and purple onions under a rich balsamic reduction.

If you’re trying to get a wide range of Palermo’s flavors in one quick lunch, the stuffed shells are your best bet. Three jumbo stuffed shells come filled and topped in three different combinations: five-cheese with a pesto cream sauce, seafood with a rosa sauce and pork with a red sauce. The shells are breaded and fried before being smothered in sauces, and the final dish is a sampling of what this new kitchen has to offer. Not only is it easy on the eyes, but the flavors are bold, each stuffed shell standing on its own.

Palermo Ristorante is at 7809 Jefferson Highway, open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday. Hours extend to 10 p.m. Friday; and it’s open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday.

Fast Break is a 225 Dine series that celebrates lunch in Baton Rouge. Follow along as we tour different dining options for a quick bite around the city.