Staying close to home... there is still a lot of something going on closing down the E. Blythedale/Tiburon exit near my house, and it backs up all the traffic on the side roads unbearably. So although Dad and I intended to go further afield, one look at the road, and we decided to visit a tried-and-true good Italian restaurant in our backyard, Piatti Locali. Greeted promptly and with good cheer, we settled in a table across from the window.
Dad decided in this spitting rain, coldish weather he'd start with the lentil and mushroom soup. He enjoyed it very much, and being a bread connoisseur, he also commented on the nice texture of the Italian bread we were served with some spiced up olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I started with a well-made Caesar, including a real anchovy draped artistically across the shaved Parmesan pieces. It was crisp and dressed perfectly. My Japanese host family in Hokkaido adore the Caesar at Piatti's and request we visit this restaurant when they are in town. I think of them every time I enjoy it myself.
Dad decided to continue on his mushroom theme, and went with the Funghi Pizza -- it featured spokes of portabello mushroom. He said he'd have to take some home, but ended up enjoying every crumb of it!
I decided to try some Cannelloni. It was filled with beef and porcini mushroom and covered with besciamella sauce. It looked rustic and handmade and was divine! (Our server later confirmed that it was made by hand in their kitchen.)
Dad was all prepared for dessert, and ordered a chocolate mousse cake with a nice Italian name I can't remember. He said he didn't care what it was called as long as it stayed on the menu in the same place order so he could have it next time too!
I had an almond cake with cherries and whipped cream. The cake was plain and dense, and a bit dry. It was a perfect foil for the cherries and their liqueur and a fabulously dense and rich whipped cream. If you know me well, you know I don't like whipped cream and generally leave it behind. However this was so good I enjoyed every bit I could get off the plate and onto my fork. Piatti's is predictably good with a kitchen that works together well. The restaurant also makes it a priority to get as much of its food as locally as possible which includes our farmer's market and directly buying from local farms, including meat purchases. It also takes into consideration sustainability in its menu choices. Next time I'll have to save some greenhouse emissions and walk there!
Dad decided in this spitting rain, coldish weather he'd start with the lentil and mushroom soup. He enjoyed it very much, and being a bread connoisseur, he also commented on the nice texture of the Italian bread we were served with some spiced up olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I started with a well-made Caesar, including a real anchovy draped artistically across the shaved Parmesan pieces. It was crisp and dressed perfectly. My Japanese host family in Hokkaido adore the Caesar at Piatti's and request we visit this restaurant when they are in town. I think of them every time I enjoy it myself.
Dad decided to continue on his mushroom theme, and went with the Funghi Pizza -- it featured spokes of portabello mushroom. He said he'd have to take some home, but ended up enjoying every crumb of it!
I decided to try some Cannelloni. It was filled with beef and porcini mushroom and covered with besciamella sauce. It looked rustic and handmade and was divine! (Our server later confirmed that it was made by hand in their kitchen.)
Dad was all prepared for dessert, and ordered a chocolate mousse cake with a nice Italian name I can't remember. He said he didn't care what it was called as long as it stayed on the menu in the same place order so he could have it next time too!
I had an almond cake with cherries and whipped cream. The cake was plain and dense, and a bit dry. It was a perfect foil for the cherries and their liqueur and a fabulously dense and rich whipped cream. If you know me well, you know I don't like whipped cream and generally leave it behind. However this was so good I enjoyed every bit I could get off the plate and onto my fork. Piatti's is predictably good with a kitchen that works together well. The restaurant also makes it a priority to get as much of its food as locally as possible which includes our farmer's market and directly buying from local farms, including meat purchases. It also takes into consideration sustainability in its menu choices. Next time I'll have to save some greenhouse emissions and walk there!
1 comment:
I love good italian food. The soup, salad, pizza, and both desserts are very appealing, but I usupect that for the canneloni I would have licked the plate. Mmmm. Perhaps the whipped cream on your dessert, too. Nice that it is close to home for you. Sounds like a wonderful place.
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