I've dined twice at the new Zuckerello's inside Loehmann's Plaza and cannot say all that much has changed since it was Prezzo's Martini Bar. And that's not a bad thing at all. Prezzo's was a perfectly pleasant spot for dinner. The exterior has gone from black to red, and the smaller, ancillary bar behind the hostess stand has been removed. It's still a jovial, dimly lit, neighborhood spot that serves decent-to-stellar Italian dishes at fair prices. And hordes of gray-haired octogenarians, clad in their most insipid styles from a bygone era, continue to pack the place. I've enjoyed both of my meals at Zuckerello's, the crab ravioli ($17) and the veal marsala ($21), well enough to return. The owner, Adam Zucker, retained chef Mennan Tekali, who ran the kitchen at Prezzo's for the previous decade. Zuker is always on-site, and that's a nice touch. It shows genuine interest and concern for his guests' enjoyment. By contrast, virtually every single one of the restaurants at the Aventura Mall is corporate-run and that fact is obvious by the impersonal service. A big lunch menu is available at Zuckerello's, replete with pizzas, pastas, burgers and sandwiches, with prices ranging from $10 up to $14.

- Written by Dylan Thomas
February 1, 2011