What was once the best Italian food in Brandon, perhaps in all of greater Tampa, has become mediocre at best. Once upon a time, this hole-in-the-wall was well known and highly regarded for authentic Italian cuisine and superior service.

Alas, after my last experience I won't be going back. A shame, as the calamari is still the best by far anywhere in town and the potential is there if only the owners would knuckle down and do what needs to be done to make this place what it once was. It's almost as if they don't care anymore.

Note to management. Fire the wait staff that don't know the differnece between casual dining and fine dining. Your menu prices dictate the latter. The current crop of waitstaff, if my waitress from my visit on 2/16 is a general indicator, belong at Pizza Hut. Not only did this one not understand basic "menu Italian" (three times my Agnello Scotta Dita was met with a "wha?" until I finally gave up and said "the lamb, please." What happened to the authentic Italian waiters/waitresses???

My wife asks for a takeout container for the salad she can't finish and she geta another side salad in a takeout contaciner. Doh! She forget's to order my son's rack of lamb, so he and I wind up sharing mine. His food finally arrives when we are ready to leave. The lamb was not as good as my last visit a few months back, unfortunately. Nor were any of the other meals at ourt table.

We were a part of five, so when the check came I was surprised to see that a gratuity of 20% (after tax!) was already added to the bill. For parties of under eight, even six, this is obnoxious, especially considering the level of service we experienced. I tried to get the owner to speak to him, but wound up waiting and waiting until I finally gave up and left.

A shame that this place has gone so far downhill. We won't be going back.