Caffe Venice, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this new Italian restaurant in Lake Mary (off Lake Mary Blvd in the shopping plaza behind the Burger King) on Wednesday. It's in the old Caffe Positano spot. I had the Ziti Aum Aum for $9. It was ziti and eggplant in a marinara sauce with grated parmigiano reggiano. The menu said mozzarella too, but, I didn't observe it. They are using some of the old menus and I think they don't all say the same things. Also, make sure you get a menu with the lunch menu that doesn't say lunch menu. It has sandwiches on it. The dish was really good. The ziti (they say they will/do make all their pastas fresh) was al dente. The eggplant couldn't have been more fresh and sweet. I have to think they were using a smaller variety. The sauce was fresh. It was, thankfully, devoid of salt. There was alot of grated cheese. The portion was large and well plated. They even used fresh basil. They also served a basket of freshly (in house) baked rolls (just out of the oven). My server (2) was the cook who is also an/the owner. While it might be cause for alarm that the other two men in the restaurant (maybe they weren't waiters either) had to be supported by the owner/cook in waiting on the other two tables of patrons, it gave me a chance to ask the BMIK (Big Man In Kitchen) some questions. This is his first restaurant. He will cook. They still have the old place's menus and sign, but, are in the process of replacing them. They still serve all forms of pizza. They still serve slices. They still deliver. The owner seemed Hispanic, but, I would warrant that if you still believe that only Italians can cook Italian then you need to back to your Grand Ma's house or take a look at who is inside the kitchens at your "Italian" restaurants. This guy was good on this occasion. And they couldn't have been more polite or efficient. If they keep it up, they will be the best Italian in Lake Mary. And you know how I hate to praise Italian restaurants. To be honest, I was dreading this meal. It combined my least favorite things - mid-market Italian in a location I had already reviewed or eaten in. Plus it was replacing one type of cuisine with the exact same cuisine. I can't remember what made Caffe Positano such a bore that I only went there occasionally, but, I am more enthused about going back to this location because of the new owners. The place is exactly the same inside. I encourage all those who liked the old place and anyone who was turned of by it to give these new guys a chance. The experience may be uneven until they get a handle on running a small business, but, I'll bet the food will make up for whatever growing pains they might experience. The food was really good when there wasn't a rush. I hope they can maintain that if they get one. I'm not sure if they will keep the old price points, but, they weren't outrageous.