What an exciting addition to the Pacifica restaurant scene this modern Italian restaurant is. It is situated on Pedro Point in a building that was previously Ristorante Mare, a popular restaurant in Pacifica for many years. Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted by a very charming hostess who will guide you to your seat in the sophisticated dining room. The hardwood floors, butcher block tables with golden woven placemats along with gas fireplace, recessed and designer lighting lend a casual elegance to the interior. Fresh baked Focaccia and a delicious Puttanesca dipping sauce is served while looking over the short but varied menu. The Fritto Misto which consists of Calamari, shrimp, artichoke & lemon is delicious and fried to perfection, but I would have enjoyed a few more shrimp. The Caesar is served with white anchovies which I find a little too bland for my liking, but overall we enjoyed it very much. The Rustic Trout on one visit was a yummy whole Rainbow Trout served head-on with lemons discreetly hiding the beady eyes and stuffed with spinach. On another visit, the same dish was a Fresh-water Trout prepared similarly but not being a real salmon lover this type of trout was somewhat of a disappointment. The Veal Piccata although very small was sautéed perfectly and sat atop a very generous scoop of pasta, was quite enjoyable. An order of Flat-Iron Steak was thinly sliced and mounded around some very good mashed potatoes and lovely al dente sautéed spinach. Although this cut of meat can be somewhat chewy, it was ordered VERY rare and served exactly as ordered, a lovely dish. We order a “call” cocktail and received a generous pour which also came at a price, $10 per cocktail. The wine list we found to be expensive by Pacifica standards, with a “house” Cab going for $8/glass. Overall, I highly recommend Barolo which serves delicious food at a very reasonable price (sans alcohol).
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