Italian dining with cinema goes, but dining stays. I visited Cinecitta Italian Restaurant in San Rafael with my father this week for dinner, thinking he might enjoy the lively Italian movies they used to play (sans sound) in the dining room. Alas, the screen is down, and Italian movies play only in the bar area these days. The restaurant is rather plain, but well-kept, and although my last experience was mediocre (two years ago), Dad and I both enjoyed our dinners this time. Maybe because we kept it simple.



We both started with Caesar salads. Could taste the anchovies, well blended with the dressing. Points for authenticity!



Dad enjoyed the roasted chicken with steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes.



While I enjoyed a "pasta triangle" dish with fresh folded pasta on top of fresh chopped sauteed tomatoes, covered with liquid goat cheese, pesto and pine nuts. A sprinkle of Parmesan was also on the top. It was simple and good. I understand that the dish hails from the owner's native Tuscany.

One of the breakfast places on my list to try, the Flying Pig Diner, seems to already have closed. I went by there and not only was there no sign of life, but the sign adorning the top of the restaurant had been changed back to "The Golden Nugget", which was the place that was there two iterations back. Since the Flying Pig was owned by the same people as the Dipsea, I won't worry that I missed anything in the way of breakfast that can't be made up closer to home.