THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bandoleone

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bandoleone Restaurant Review:

Bandoleone has swapped its Eastlake spot for funkier Fremont. The restaurant is a place of many moods, from pensive to celebratory---and now it offers both lunch (empanadas, salads, tortas, soups) and a late-night menu for the party set. Hip clientele crowd in for live performance evenings and monthly wine tastings. Chefs have come and gone, but the food---a mix of bold, rustic, Caribbean and Latin American flavors---stays consistently satisfying, thanks to the passion of owner Danielle Philippa. First off, order a sweet, minty mojito or tart margarita to enjoy as you peruse the adventurous menu. We often start with tapas, like tuna ceviche or tiger shrimp doused with lemon, paprika, sherry and chipotle. Soups, like the yellow tomato gazpacho, never fail to dazzle. Main courses are lusty and large, and the daily specials always worth considering. We've been impressed with lamb in an array of guises; smoky pork chops rubbed with garlic and searingly hot chilies; and chicken braised with chorizo, olives, tomato and sherry and served over wilted spinach and cumin-laced Spanish rice. We've rarely had room for dessert; a move to the sexy bar for cigars and brandy seems more suited to the after-dinner mood.