Petrella Bros. Italian Tapas & Wine Bar capitalizes on today’s penchant for fusion in food by turning the Spanish concept into an Italian culinary adventure. The menu reads like a traditional Italian menu, but the standards get innovative twists. And the dishes appear in small, individual portions—they are truly tapas. The first time we dined there, we ordered as we usually do: a salad, appetizer, pasta to share and individual protein dishes. We left feeling very righteous that we had eaten so sparely on such delicious food; two hours later we were starving. The next trip found us expanding our choices and leaving with a hefty bill. That said, Petrella Bros. does employ a creative hand to produce outstanding results that are fun to sample and share.

We loved the “flights” of cheeses and salami, each $9. It’s a wonderful way to expand your appreciation of those Italian staples. I had no idea that salami could differ so subtly. And a cheese flight is a must-have, especially paired with one of the red wines offered in the wine bar. Petrella’s takes that one step beyond most wine-by-the-glass programs and offers three sizes of pours—a quarter liter, half liter or a full bottle. This pouring system is available on well over a dozen different wines, and the wines are all Italian. We sampled a Mauro Sebaste Roero Arneis, a white variety with an almond-like characteristic in the nose and taste, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

That wine paired beautifully with a fresh fennel and orange salad that lifted the licorice-flavored root vegetable and citrus fruit to new heights. The salad was sprinkled with grana Padano cheese. Grana means grain in Italian, and in this context means granulated cheeses aged for long periods of time, making them especially suitable for grating. I appreciated the use of the well-aged and slightly nutty and pungent cheese on the salad. The dressing was simple—lemon juice and olive oil—allowing the character of the salad to shine.

The next tapas followed the usually successful formula of “less is more”—broccolini, that suddenly chic vegetable, marinated in olive oil and garlic, grilled, then topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It sounded heavenly, but the broccolini was tough. An order of risotto, asparagus and morel mushroom made us forget that misstep. The risotto was creamy and firm, and the earthy flavors of morel and the crunch of asparagus summoned the essence of spring. The addition of a drizzle of truffle oil seemed almost overkill but was deliciously decadent.

Decadent, too, is the thyme-seared scallop. Thyme is the herb of the hour, attention that is past due this member of the mint family. While a standing member of the French bouquet garni, thyme is now being used more by chefs as a stand-alone, as in this preparation, where it lent its slightly lemony, pungent character to the dish. The scallop was the star, however, and the plump, perfectly cooked bivalve sat atop a pile of shitake mushrooms and onions. Again, a drizzle of truffle oil took the single scallop to a new level. I wanted more, even at $9 per scallop!

We got more—not scallops, but duck—and it may well be one of the best duck breasts I’ve ever devoured. The breast was small, the size of the palm of my hand, sliced and served almost rare. It was drizzled with a molasses made with pomegranates, adding a sweet-tart character. But the real scene-stealer was the pistachio butter that added a rich, nutty finish to the dish. There were raisins, too. As Rachael Ray would no doubt say, “Yum-o.”

There are also categories of pizza (wood-fired, of course) that range from quattro formaggi to an intriguing duo of prosciutto and arugula. Pizzas are $13 and work for two people. Bruschetta, which I am enamored with, is equally interesting, sporting the standard tomato, garlic and basil on bread but with roasted red peppers atop walnuts. Bruschetta is $8.

Larger plates are available for Petrella’s lasagna, a classic Bolognese and vegetarian, alla Contadina. Both are absolute comfort food.

Petrella’s has a martini lounge, separate from the dining room, where they feature some of Italy’s famous cocktails—a peach Bellini from Venice, for example, and specialty martinis like a rum tiramisu. Speaking of tiramisu, that’s the star of the dessert list, a fitting finale to this welcome addition to Sarasota’s dining scene.