Onano Neighborhood Caf?, an Italian restaurant located at the end of Main Street in Rosemary Beach, will be featured in an upcoming PBS television special hosted by garden designer P. Allen Smith in April.
The series titled, ?Garden Lifestyles,? which profiles Rosemary Beach and the cuisine of Onano Chef de Cuisine Phillip McDonald, is slated to air April 10, with another segment, ?Beach Living,? to air April 13. The entire PBS special on Rosemary Beach will air in a series of segments through July.
Chef McDonald prepared garden fresh recipes for the crew that were easy to create and a delicious way to enjoy a relaxing time dining al fresco in the heart of Rosemary Beach.
McDonald is Chef de Cuisine of Onano and is in his first year there.
On Oct. 16, 2005, McDonald was featured in The New York Times in addition to three other chefs along 30A in an article titled, ?Goodbye Stuffed Flounder, Hello Foie Gras.?
In November, BeachTV?s restaurant critic Margit Bisztray selected Onano among her Top Five ?Most Romantic? Restaurants.
A Destin native, McDonald?s culinary expertise was honed at area restaurants including Bogwalk, Fish Out of Water, Criolla?s and Cuvee Beach. With an appreciation for Italian cuisine and handmade dishes, McDonald believes that food is at its best when kept simple, using only top quality ingredients and seasonal produce.
About P. Allen Smith
P. Allen Smith is a garden designer and lifestyle expert. He is the host of two nationally syndicated television shows, P. Allen Smith Gardens and P. Allen Smith?s Garden Home. Gardens airs on network affiliates broadcasting to more than 80 percent of the country and Garden Home is seen on Public Broadcasting channels, including the new Create TV, a 120 station digital network. Allen is the gardening expert for The Weather Channel and makes regular guest appearances on NBC?s Today Show. www.pallensmith.com, Allen?s Website, receives 1.3 million unique visitors per year. Additionally, he contributes monthly columns to Woman?s Day and Cottage Living magazines and has written a best selling series of books including P. Allen Smith?s Colors for the Garden: Creating Compelling Color Themes, which was released in February.
About Onano Neighborhood Cafe
Founded by Penny and Mark Dragonette, Onano opened in December 2003 and boasts an intimate ambiance, like that of a romantic trattoria. The restaurant, named after Mark?s grandmother?s hometown in Italy, occupies the ground floor of The Pensione, an eight-bedroom European-style bed & breakfast that has been featured in Southern Living and The New York Post. Completed by the Dragonettes in 2001, with architects Luis and Jorge Trelles, the four-story oldworld stucco building was the first commercial building in Rosemary Beach.
Hours are Monday - Thursday 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., and Friday - Saturday 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. Seating is limited and reservations strongly suggested. Call (850) 231-2436.
Replies
40Skunky
I bet P. Allen is going to wear a blue shirt and khakis 

Beach Lover
The Chef is leaving or has already left to go work for Chans Wine world in Destin and Onano and the Inn which is owned by the same couple is for sale.
Beach Lover
The Chef is leaving or has already left to go work for Chans Wine world in Destin and Onano and the Inn which is owned by the same couple is for sale.Sounds like that place was a raging success...
Beach Fanatic
I bet P. Allen is going to wear a blue shirt and khakis
That's fantastic!
I work at Onano, and that's exactly what he wore when he came in for dinner.
Also, we're still open, and still doing well.
As for the Chef leaving, yeah, that happened. But we'll survive.
Meow
That's fantastic!
I work at Onano, and that's exactly what he wore when he came in for dinner.
Also, we're still open, and still doing well.
As for the Chef leaving, yeah, that happened. But we'll survive.
potatovixen! I am enamored with your name. How do you like your potatoes?Tell me about Onano...I have never been!
Beach Fanatic
potatovixen! I am enamored with your name. How do you like your potatoes?
Tell me about Onano...I have never been!
Haha, well, I have a very strong Irish background, and a friend of mine used ot call me the Potato Vixen. The name just kind of stuck.
As for Onano, of course I'm going to say it's good. I want everyone to come in and eat. ;-) The entire kitchen staff (current chef included) is comprised of culinary students from GCCC. (That wasn't really intentional, it just kind of happened that way.) I guess the best way to put it is that we're all a little crazy (you have to be) and obsessed with food, so we put a lot of care into what we do.
Just today I went to three different grocery stores looking for basil, because nobody had anything that looked good enough, and our purveyors flaked out on us. If that gives you any idea of how twistedly devoted we are. ^_^
Meow
Cool potatovixen! My son is in Ireland right now and says he eats potatoes at almost every meal! Onano sounds like one of my fav shows....Top Chef! I will make plans to dine with y'all in October!
SoWal Expert
Cool potatovixen! My son is in Ireland right now and says he eats potatoes at almost every meal! Onano sounds like one of my fav shows....Top Chef! I will make plans to dine with y'all in October!
Miss K, I LOVED Top Chef.....so glad Tiffany didn't win!! Harold was cool......
Meow
Miss K, I LOVED Top Chef.....so glad Tiffany didn't win!! Harold was cool......
:clap_1: ...you and me and everyone else! She was a sneaky snake!
Beach Comber
Sounds like that place was a raging success...
The place is no longer for sale it is doing very well.
Beach Fanatic
What is the schedule like this time of year?
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
The place is no longer for sale it is doing very well.
OC!!!!!! I must come visit next time in town.....I have heard the food is pretty good....;-) Beach Fanatic
The place is no longer for sale it is doing very well.
It's really one of our favorite places. Hope the food is as good as it has been in the past. We'll be there the first week of November -- if Rapunzel sticks to her babysitting offer.
Beach Fanatic
It's really one of our favorite places. Hope the food is as good as it has been in the past. We'll be there the first week of November -- if Rapunzel sticks to her babysitting offer.And we're planning on bringing friends there the second week in January - Will you be open?
I believe we'll be closed through January, but I'll get back with you on that one. We'll definitely be open in November, though, so if you do come in, I'd love to meet you!
Beach Fanatic
What is the schedule like this time of year?
We're open Monday-Saturday. Dinner starts at 5:30, and we stay open at least until 8. Sunday from 10am-2pm we serve brunch.
Beach Fanatic
The place is no longer for sale it is doing very well.
Well, I do believe I know you from somewhere. hmmmm. :clap_1: Welcome to the board, Alan!
Beach Fanatic
The place is no longer for sale it is doing very well.
Your food is most excellent! I'll be in soon!
Meow
Should the Kitties dine here on Saturday night? 

Admin
[ame="http://www.sowal.com/bb/showthread.php?t=5404"]Onano Neighborhood Cafe - review - SoWal Beaches Forum[/ame]
Beach Fanatic
Should the Kitties dine here on Saturday night?
Yes! you should! I'll be working that night, so you should definitely come and let me cook you something. :clap_1:
Meow
Yes! you should! I'll be working that night, so you should definitely come and let me cook you something. :clap_1:
Done. Make me a reservation for 4 at 7:30 pm!
Beach Fanatic
Done. Make me a reservation for 4 at 7:30 pm!
I'll try to remember to mention it, but you may want to call them up yourself. I can barely remember what I had for dinner last night, much less to make a dinner reservation for someone else.

Meow
I'll try to remember to mention it, but you may want to call them up yourself. I can barely remember what I had for dinner last night, much less to make a dinner reservation for someone else.
:roll: ...how lazy are you?
SoWal Guide
Onano is my very favorite place to eat in sowal, besides Borago (I love them both dearly). What makes Onano unique is the tiny romantic Italian trattoria look and feel, and the food is exceptional (the best). Can't wait to go again...
Meow
Onano is my very favorite place to eat in sowal, besides Borago (I love them both dearly). What makes Onano unique is the tiny romantic Italian trattoria look and feel, and the food is exceptional (the best). Can't wait to go again...
Okay, that did it. We are definitely going to Onano. I'd go anywhere my little Toots recommends.
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