By Chris Wilson

If you’re looking for a fine dining experience like no other, try Petrello’s at the Old Boarding House in Trenton, where you’ll find a taste of Italy in the country. Just cruise east on Newberry Rd., which will turn into S.R. 26, and, about 15 minutes from the Jonesville area, turn right onto NW 1st St. and you can’t miss one of the great Italian-American food establishments of north central Florida.

The upscale, family-friendly Italian restaurant is located in one of the oldest buildings in Gilchrist County —the Old Boarding House, which dates back to 1917. “I’ve been told that it was originally, literally, an old boarding house,” says owner and executive chef Paulie Petrello. “I was told that sometime later it was a type of infirmary and the nurses lived here.” In the 1990s, the building was a dress boutique and then it was turned into a buffet-style restaurant, until Paulie and his brother Mikee purchased the building a little more than a year ago.

Dick and Deborah Tarantino visit Petrello’s once a week from their home in Bell. “You won’t find anything like this is Gainesville,” says Dick. “You won’t find the personal attention to the food that you get here anywhere else. Once Gainesville finds out about this place, it’s going to be packed all the time.” The Tarantinos also rave about the service and the way Paulie trains each and every one of his employees.

The brothers Petrello come from a long line of cooks. Their father Richard, a second generation Italian-American, has been teaching culinary arts in Orlando for 19 years and he’s been teaching in Florida for 40 years. Their mother Ann taught her five daughters and a daughter-in-law how to cook. Paulie says food always has been an important part of their family life.

Paulie created the majority of the recipes on Petrello’s extensive menu. He uses all fresh ingredients and he makes use of as many locally grown items as he can. “We get our seafood from Cedar Key,” he explains. “We get a lot of greens, especially mustard and collards, that are grown locally. We have blue crabs, when they’re in season. We do a lot of oyster dishes when they’re in season.”

Petrello’s features a variety of delicious appetizers. The mozzarella bruchetta features bread toasted with garlic and the scungili la monica (conch fritters with roasted pepper aioli) are incredible. The Tarantinos say one of their favorite appetizer specials is beef carpaccio stuffed with onions and olives.

The entree menu features traditional Italian fare and big portions — spaghetti and meatballs, pasta primavera, ravioli pomodoro, baked lasagna, eggplant and veal parmesan and shrimp scampi. You can also try one of Paulie’s signature dishes —  rotini Petrello (sauteed chicken breast with sun-dried tomatoes in a caramelized onion and balsalmic demi-glaze tossed with rotini pasta and nut-crusted goat cheese). Of course, pizza pies, stromboli and calzones are all part of the menu as well.

Paulie has proven he knows his way around the kitchen by including top-notch steaks that are cut just before they’re cooked. The 14-oz. ribeye is pan seared with peppers, onions and mushrooms and served over succulent herb-roasted potatoes. He also has a daily special for $9.95, which recently has included melt-in-your-mouth prime rib, steaks and even liver and onions.

Even if what you want is not on the menu, chances are Paulie can make it for you. “We customize dishes for people all the time,”?he explains. “If somebody had a dish when they were in Europe and I have the ingredients, I’ll make it for them. Our clientele that knows us asks for things that are not on the menu all the time.”

The dessert menu is not something you’ll want to miss. It features spumoni ice cream, cannoli, New York cheesecake with strawberries, Chocolate Della Nona cake and other items that are sure to delight your senses. There also is a variety of coffees and Petrello’s also has a full bar, wine and beer available.

The atmosphere suits large families or more intimate groups. “The kids are our future and we need that,” says Paulie. “We give the kids pizza dough to play with while they wait for their food. The advantage of being located in an old boarding house is that we have many rooms. So, if people want a more intimate setting, we can accommodate them in another dining area.”

“Paulie’s biggest asset is how personal he is with the food, his staff and his customers,” says Dick Tarantino. “You feel like you’re part of the family when you’re eating here.”

Petrello’s also is available for catering and offers take-out.

Petrello’s at the Old Boarding House is located at 115 NW 1st St. in Trenton, a quick and beautiful drive through the Alachua and Gilchrist County countryside straight east on Newberry Rd./S.R. 26. For more information, call (352)463-8494.