Positano eats: La Sponda

Positano couldn't be prettier. I've wanted to go to this visually stunning place ever since Only You with Robert Downey Jr (*swoon*). Positano was planned, La Sponda (Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30, 84017 Positano SA, Italy), on the other hand, was not.

That is... until I saw this photo on Instagram and just had to have it (I guess I eat with my eyes first): 

Not only was the spaghetti vongole as delicious as it was pretty, the restaurant itself was the most beautiful restaurant hubby and I have ever been to. It was also the only Michelin-starred restaurant we went to in Italy.

Ask to sit outside if you can, where you'll overlook this:

Everything was perfect: the attentive service, the well-executed food, the gorgeous view. Even the dinnerware was whimsical. But my favoritefavorite part was this happy little champagne cart that a jolly man pushed around. I mean, how can you not be jolly pushing around a cart like this:

Of course we had to get something from the cart:

Pink just felt like the right color for a celebration at La Sponda. It went well with my vongole, hubby's John Dory, and this silky eggplant:

La Sponda is not easy to get to, because Positano is not easy to get to, but I think... that's what makes them even more magical. You count your blessings here. 

Oh, and the olive oil is stunning. 

Rome eats: Pane & Vino

I really like sandwiches. But I loooooooooooooooooooooove porchetta sandwiches. I literally hunted down porchetta sandwiches when we were in Italy. One of the best eats near the Colosseum is Pane & Vino (Via Ostilia, 10, 00184).

It's a teeny tiny shop with a very friendly, English-speaking owner. His porchetta is delivered fresh every morning. Get the special porchetta with everything and just... eat in silence. And, if you're like me, grin like a fool.

Rome eats: Hostaria Romana

You want to eat with locals? You want to eat trippa alla romana? You want a simple, unfussy, non-touristy place to rest your feet after playing tourist? Eat here: Hostaria Romana (via del Boccaccio, 1, 00187).

They're known for their fish and their carbonara, but we went bucatini amatriciana, fettuccine with mushrooms, and trippa alla romana. The food was cozy, peasant-like. Bonus: the waiters gift you little plates of delicious (albeit salty) things, like beans, croquettes, and even pasta (!), while you wait for your dinner. We got lucky and were seated by the windows (make reservations) and got to see Roma grow dark.

You know what the perfect thing to do after dinner at Hostaria Romana is? Walk to the Trevi to see it glow: 

Rome eats: La Prosciutteria Trevi

You like pig, wine, and rock n' roll? Welcome to La Prosciutteria Trevi (Via della Panetteria, 34A, 00187).

This place is run by some bad-ass ladies who build a mean board. Said board is made of olive wood and every inch of it is covered with Italian goodies: meat, cheese, grilled veggies, more meat, and bruschetta.

The music is fun, the place is itty bitty, and the wine is gooood. Try the lambrusco.  It's not sweet at all, but dry, fizzy, and berrylicious. It goes perfectly with the board. By the way, the one that we ordered was a medium and it was already over 2 feet long. Yeah, it comes in bigger sizes. Have fun 😉!

I recommend going here when Roma is napping (i.e., not at lunchtime and not at dinnertime). 

Rome eats: Taverna Trilussa

Do you get get giddy when your dinner is served in the pan it was cooked in? Because I do. I don't need any plates, dude. Just give me that steaming hot pan of magic pasta water tossed with cheese and freshly ground black pepper!

Taverna Trilussa (via del Politeama, 23/25, 00153 Roma, Italy) is a bustling bistro in hip Trastevere. Reservations are a must. They have a romantic outdoor area, but we sat inside, past the ham stumps. 

It seems like every other restaurant in Roma is known for their charcuterie. We ordered the prosciutto with creamy, dreamy mozzarella di bufala and the sampler. 

And if you're the kind of person who likes to put an egg on it, here's some #yolkporn for you: 

That's bombolotti (mezze maniche) alla carbonara with glistening ridges and a happy pool of yolk at the bottom of the bowl. Yum-o. 

Rome eats: Roscioli

Ah, Rome. Where the pasta is almost too al dente, almost too salty, and for sure bleeping delicious. You'll eat rustic pasta with just pecorino and ground black pepper doused in the pasta's own water and you'll say "Please, sir. I want some more."

#1 on the list is Roscioli (via dei Giubbonari, 21/22, 00186 Roma, Italy). I can't ever imagine traveling to Italy and not eating here.

Roscioli was so tasty, it was the only restaurant we went to twice during our 14-day vacation. You read any foodie list on Rome and Roscioli is at the top of the pack. Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, me: we all say go faster. Actually, first you must make reservations. The deli moonlighting as a restaurant is tiny, with less than 20 tables. If you can, ask to sit in Daniel's section. He's charming and knows his prosecco, champagne, and sparkling wine. And he doesn't try to sell you the 100 Euro bottle. Instead, he finds you a small producer that's in your budget and somehow nails your taste buds with just one look.

I studied the menu months before our trip and already knew what I wanted to order before we sat down.

Must order: La matriciana o amatriciana (bombolotto paffuto pasta tossed with campanian region tomato sauce, crispy pig cheek, and roman pecorino). It tasted like it had heavy cream, without the heaviness. I'm not sure how they sauced each individual pasta so perfectly without making it saucy, but this was so delicious, I wanted to order it again for dessert. It was in the top 3 things I ate in Italy.

Do you know what echire butter demi-sel is? Yeah, I didn't either. Then I ate it and now I want it forever in my life. The burro e parmigian "Francescana" is short pasta rigatone with echire butter demi-sel, 3 kinds of parmesan cheese made from red cow (aged 36 mos), bruna alpine (aged 30 mos), and classic reggiano hills (aged 36 mos). Wait until you see the pool of butter at the bottom of the bowl. I dare you not to squeal.

Burrata con perle di tartufo (burrata cheese from andria with winter black truffle pearls) + selezione di prosciutti italiana = party in your mouth. If you can, travel to Italy in October. Two words: truffle season.

This is real carbonara (large spaghetti tossed with crispy pork cheek, malaysian black pepper, paolo parisi eggs, and roman pecorino). It's decadent, but not heavy at all. Eating it makes you feel giddy and naughty. Slurp it like you slurp ramen.

And finally, if Rome had a pasta mascot, it'd be cacio e pepe (fresh pasta with roman pecorino, cacio from moliterno, pecorino di fossa from sogliano del rubicone, and mayaysian black pepper). This is adulting. With adult mac n' cheese. Oh, and bubbles (another small producer). Cin cin!

The Italy Series

Hubby and I celebrated 5 years of bliss with an epic trip to Italy. It took about a year of planning, but we were rewarded with a flawlessly delicious 14 days in Rome, the Amalfi Coast, and Tuscany. Do you know how many food articles, Instagram photos, Mario Batali, Eater lists, Tripadvisor reviews, and Rick Steves I had to sift through to make sure that every single meal we ate and every hotel we stayed at was The Best? A bajillion.

So, for anyone who wants to vacation in the Tastiest Country in the World, look for my upcoming posts. I already did the legwork and traveling for you. I'll start with the food, because that's the most fun 😍

The Colosseum is kinda a big deal

Have you seen Robert Downey Jr. in Only You? You go do that and you'll want to go to Positano, too

Capri, we're kinda in love with you

Tuscany is so beautiful, it must not be real

Clif Family Winery at Velo Vino - St. Helena

5/5 stars

This place was very special. And, it was FUN.

Super friendly staff.

EXCELLENT wine.

Laid-back atmosphere.

Bruschetta food truck.

We accidentally "crashed" the rose of grenache launch party. All our wine was paired with yummy snacks. It is, HANDS DOWN, the BEST rose I've ever had. If you think you don't like rose, you should try this "ballet slipper" rose. It's extremely lovely and the prettiest pink. Bright, with aromas of pear, mandarin, and watermelon Jolly Rancher, I am kicking myself for not buying another bottle. We're just going to have to go back.

Laura, the winemaker, spent time with us and we enjoyed speaking to her. She speaks like a teacher. She's wonderful.

We went home with half a case! Including the rose, the gewuztraminer (dry! which is the best way to have gewuzt so it's not too syrupy sweet), and the sauvignon blanc (a treat of peach)! We also tried the prochetta bruschetta and the arancini. The bruschetta (Long and Bailey Farms pig, garden herbs, red onion, aioli, and parmesan) was awesome, but the honeynut squash arancini stole the show. It tasted like macaroni and cheese! We would've ordered more if we didn't have dinner reservations at Ad Hoc ;)

Honestly, I would've signed up to be a club member if we lived closer to attend the parties!

Tony’s Di Napoli - New York, NY

4/5 stars

Finding a non-touristy restaurant near Times Square is difficult. We got lucky with Tony's.

Tony Di Napoli's was loud, informal, and hearty with super friendly service. It was comfortable. Kinda like a Buca di Beppo, but with talented chefs. Because we can't get lobster fra diavolo in SF, I had to have it here. I almost ordered a salad to go with it, but our attentive waiter advised against it. I didn't mention the meatballs I wanted to order too. Or the chicken parm.

So I sipped on a frozen bellini while we, a table of 2, waited. Soon, we were delivered a mountain of al-dente linguine with what felt like a bushel of fresh, perfectly-cooked seafood (and a whole lobster!). There was enough food for 4.48790 people. You were right, I told our waiter. He gave me a cheeky wink.

The calamari was especially good. The shrimp was succulent and the soft-shelled lobster was easy to dig into. I got red sauce everywhere.

(2015)

Santina - New York, NY

3/5 stars

If this is the Almafi coast, sign me up!

Santina wasn't on my to-try-in-NY list, but I was tired from a very long day at work and didn't want to venture far from the High line. My friend recommended Santina so that's where I went. Later, I learned that Santina belonged to Chef Mario Carbone of the famed Carbone. I wanted to go to Carbone. I still do, but I have to say: Santina was okay. I hope Carbone is better.

Santina was packed with business men in suits and women out with their friends for the night. I loved how lively it felt, with its bright colors and tiki-decor, all tucked inside tall glass walls. The next table wasn't going to be available until 10:30 PM, but we were lucky enough to snag the last two seats at the bar. I'm glad we did, too, because the service at the bar was amazing.

We started with a cecina (a wispy chickpea-flour crepe) because I have never had one and I like trying new stuff. It was served with an almond-studded guacamole and a darkly-red, roasted salsa.

One of my favorite things about Santina was the ceramics: vibrant dishes, bowls, and drinkware. My Manganelli punch was served in a darling, ceramic pineapple with a hat.

For dinner, we ordered the blue crab pasta and the rigatoni norma. Unfortunately, our two pasta dishes were EXTREMELY salty. They weren't I-don't-eat-as-much-salt-as-my-husband salty. They tasted like you were eating spoonfuls of salt. I'm guessing it was an accident, but since we were hungry and the food had taken an hour to arrive, we powered through. I was extrememly disappointed because you could tell that if the salt catastrophe hadn't happened, these entrees would've been delicious. The blue crab pasta was chock-full of delicate crab. You were even given two tiny, adorable claws. The rigatoni norma with its eggplant and tomatoes was tasty and silky.

We tried to wash all the salt away with two awesome cocktails: the Manganelli punch (tequila, banana, pineapple, and cinnamon) and the Amalfi Gold (bourbon, orange, ginger, and creme de peche). I would've ordered more if I wasn't feeling a bit under the weather.

(2015)

Delfina - San Francisco

5/5 stars

I'm gonna have dreams about that spaghetti pomodoro...

It was silky perfection with its bright red sauce that featured the tomatoes-oh-just-taste-these-tomatoes. The best part was probably the good-quality olive oil that coated the pasta and left a beautiful sheen on my plate. It was the most simple, yet delicious spaghetti I have ever had. I hope I'll be able to re-create it at home.

We were seated right away because we had reservations. However, our server took forever to greet us. Actually, she took forever with everything (getting our waters, taking our orders, etc). I am not sure if it was because she was busy or spacey, but she could've been more attentive. I can't bring myself to dock a star, however, because that spaghetti was just so darn amazing. Did I mention the perfect amount of basil? The sheen of olive oil? Oh, well, even if I did, there it is again. It. Was. Just. That. Delightful.

The grilled calamari, Tartine bread, and bellini weren't half bad either ;)

(2015)

Doppio Zero - Mountain View

3/5 stars

Super glad to find more Italian-style, wood-fired pizza in the South Bay. Even though I'd recommend Doppio Zero if you're in Mountain View, I would also say that if you don't mind driving a little north, I prefer Delfina in Palo Alto. I think the crust and toppings are better.

Service is nice, I like the salads, I don't like the calamari, and the margherita is decent.

(2015)

Cucina Venti - Mountain View

1/5 stars

This restaurant is in a prime location. Google is next door and there's a movie theater across the street. But just because you're in a good location doesn't mean you can get away with poorly-made food. (The service wasn't bad though)

I ordered the honey, sausage, and serrano pizza (a Vesta-in-Redwood-City-knockoff). I hate to say it, but Trader Joe's frozen pizza is better than what they served me.

I would not recommend any Googlers eat here.

(2015)

Pizzeria Delfina - Palo Alto

5/5 stars

I came here on a Friday night to celebrate my birthday with my friends.

On Saturday, my husband asked me what I wanted for lunch. He said it was my birthday weekend and that I could have anything I wanted. I said Delfina. So we went back.

I think that pretty much sums up what I think of this place.

But if you want to know more...

These are my favorite pies:

Panna: tomato sauce, cream, basil, shaved parmigiano

Guanciale: pork jowl, spring onion, and black pepper

Funghi: Hen of the Woods mushrooms, panna, fontina, nepitella

They also have a pie called the Amatriciana (guanciale, chili, tomato, pecorino, black pepper) that isn't on the regular menu, but if you see it, order it!

Oh, and for the love of all that is delicious, put an egg (or two) on it.

The people are really nice, the wait is really long, and I'm really, really glad we don't have to drive all the way to SF for Pizzeria Delfina anymore. I'm thinking of instituting pizza-weekends.

(2015)

Bertucelli’s La Villa - San Jose

5/5 stars

I watch a lot a lot of DDD on the Food Network and Guy goes to an Italian deli every now and then. Every time he does, I want whatever he's nomming: raviolis made with fresh pasta, sandwiches wrapped in paper, and homemade, generations-old marinara sauce.

La Villa delivers all that and MORE.

The more? A killer, rich, heavy, awe-inspiring lasagna. Definitely the best lasagna I've ever had. I also had a solid sandwich piled high with salami and prosciutto on a sweet roll. It wasn't warmed, but it was still really good.

The ravs (raviolis as they're endearingly called) don't disappoint either. The balance of meat + spinach + spices is out of this world and even after a day in the fridge, the pillow-y pastas still had chew. Love love love the consistency of fresh (non-soggy) pasta. The marinara sauce was sooooooooo good. It defines what homemade marinara sauce is supposed to taste like.

This post dedicated to my co-worker who took me on an "Italian field trip" to this little gem of a deli. And to her dad whom she flies lasagna to every Christmas.

(2012)

Beretta - San Francisco

5/5 stars

When it comes to thin, wood or coal-fired, Italian-style pizza, I think that prosciutto + arugula may be my favorite combination ever. It's not something I've been able to find in the South Bay. Beretta combines excellent, fresh pizza with one of the best bartenders in the City and, to top it off, friendly and attentive service (even though we were a big group) - wow. Go, Beretta, go!

Oh, and pretty much, if you see burrata cheese on the menu - order it immediately. And here's another tip: mezcal is really, really, really smoky. In case you don't like cocktails like that. My favorite was the airmail: rum, honey, lime, and prosecco.

Parking was gosh-awful, though. Circled for like 35 minutes. Not Beretta's fault, but valet would be nice :-)

(2012)

Babbo - New York

5/5 stars

Oh, Batali. Oh, Babbo's.

You're my favorite Iron Chef (sorry, Morimoto)! Don't get me wrong, my meal at Morimoto's in Philly was amazing. But, there's just something about non-raw, cozy, savory, Italian magic.

I need to start with the service, even though the food was definitely the star. Because if it weren't for the polite, accommodating service, I wouldn't have gotten to create my own tasting menu. I'd studied the menu for a couple weeks and had my heart set on a few items. Problem was that the tasting menu didn't include everything I wanted to try, but ... well ... I wasn't going to come to Babbo's and only order one entree.

So, the staff let me and my beau pick our top 3 choices and they created a pasta tasting menu just for us! They even suggested the order the pastas would come out in to make sure the flavors melded well.

We started with the dish I was most excited about - the spaghettini with spicy budding chives and a one pound lobster. Yup. One whole pound.

Next, we got the beef cheek ravioli with crushed squab and black truffles and then the bucatiniall'amatriciana with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig's jowl), hot pepper, and pecorino.

The bucatini was my favorite noodle. It was something I'd never had before. It was a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center.

Now, I never order ravioli because it's never done well. They're usually overcooked and you get tired after the third one. But Batali's beef cheeck ravioli was the best I've ever had in my life. I highly recommend you try one of their raviolis when you're there. But, if I had to pick a favorite dish, I can't NOT choose the spaghettini with the WHOLE POUND of lobster. :-)

For dessert, the staff suggested the most delicious dessert wine: Castel de Paolis, Muffa Nobile. The beau ordered the saffron panna cotta with quince, pink peppercorn and quince sorbetto. I was super surprised that I LOVED it because I don't usually like panna cotta. It was also refreshing after such a rich meal. The gelato in both desserts were amazing.

My ONLY complaint: even with a reservation (that I had to confirm), we had to wait 30 minutes.

(2011)

Pizzeria Delfina - San Francisco

5/5 stars

Took about 30 minutes to park. And waited for about an hour on a Monday. But when the beau and I took our first bite, we turned to each other, grinned like fools, and said, "The wait was worth it."

Delfina has been on my wish list for awhile, but I finally pushed myself to go after reading about the restaurant in a Sunset magazine where it (and 6 others) were featured under an article called, "The Best Bay Area Pizza."

The women who work there are SO incredibly nice. And efficient. I watched as they served pie after pie, swooped in to greet and bid farewell guest after guest. When we were finally seated at the tiny bar, the waitress took one look at me and smiled. "You're so excited to be here," she said. She was right.

We ordered both of the specials: the Purgatorio and the Gricia. The Purgatorio reminded me of the pizza I ate in Paris. It was made with a very mild, spicy tomato sauce, two farm-fresh eggs, and I added pepperoni. If you've never had eggs on pizza, you have GOT to try it. Egg yolk does something magical to pizza crust, I'm telling you. The Gricia was also incredible. It had spring onions, guanciale (read: pig jowl), panna, and black pepper. It was creamy, salty, delicious. All that paired with a bubbly red wine (Gragnano Frizzante) and ... what can I say. This is what I like to do.

(2010)

Ristorante Parma - San Francisco

5/5 stars

UPDATE :)

There are so many restaurants in San Francisco, I always feel an itsy bitsy guilty when I go back to the same one instead of trying something new. BUT but but ... I can't stay away from Parma! Heck, I came here for dinner on Friday and, not only did I want to get a to-go order for a midnight snack, but I wanted to come back for dinner on Saturday (I didn't do any of the above, but I wanted to ...)

I ordered my favorite pasta dish of all-time - the Romanoff. If you like vodka sauce, you gotta try it. Of course, before eating my main course, I filled up on their incredible bread+garlic+balsamic+olive oil concoction and their paper-thin prosciutto wrapped canteloupe. I also fell in love with a new dish - their Spaghtti Carbonara is the BEST CARBONARA I've ever had!! Most carbonaras are too creamy and heavy, but this one was so light and tasty!

When I return to Parma next Saturday, I'm going to have a lot of trouble deciding between the Romanoff and the Carbonara. Oh well, maybe I'll just order both. Life's short ... right?

***

RISTORANTE PARMA IS LOVE!!!!

This is the restaurant where I'd have my last meal on Earth.

I'd eat here every weekend if I could.

Whoever put vodka + sausage together is a genius.

Garlic swimming in olive oil + balsamic vinegar will be the end of me.

THE ATMOSPHERE: It's a long, narrow, family-run restaurant that intimately sits 40 or so. It always reminds me of an Italian cafe tucked away on some cobble-stoned alleyway and when you're a lost tourist wandering around Rome and stumble upon such a place, you feel like you've come across a local gem. We got to the restaurant around 6:30PM on a Friday night and luckily beat the dinner crowd. Half an hour later, almost every table was occupied. The owner of the restaurant - a serious-looking, but pleasant, short, Italian man in his 60s - hugged regulars warmly, while his daughters recited house specials and lit tea candles. It's such a cozy place.

THE FOOD: The Penne Romanoff is my favorite Italian pasta dish. Ever. Al dente penne, creamy tomato sauce with a touch of vodka, ground sausage, and thinly-sliced mushrooms - it's super delicious. I would've licked the plate clean if that wasn't taboo. The caesar salad is made with a perfect, housemade dressing, and the bread is rustic and heavenly when soaked in the chopped garlic, light olive oil, and sweet balsamic vinegar. We ate almost two loaves.

(2007-2009)

Strings Italian Cafe - Sacramento (closed)

3/5 stars

ATMOSPHERE: I felt cramped in there (and not in a cozy, warm and fuzzy feeling way) and I'm not a very big person. Service was very friendly and attentive - came to check on us several times. Prices were comparable to other Italian chains like Pasta Pomodoro and Macaroni Grill - reasonable and dependable.

FOOD: I was pleasantly surprised! Better than the Olive Garden IMO. The salad was awesome - I really, really liked the dressing - a sort of creamy, slightly tangy Italian. Only complaint is that the salad was mixed with raisins and sunflower seeds. My wonderful dining companions thoroughly enjoyed the wrinkled grapes and bird seed though, so that was cool. I easily picked them out. Bread wasn't boring - some sort of herbed, seasoned focaccia that came out hot. I ordered the Fettucine Marsala dish with artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and shrimp (gorgonzola cheese crumbles on the side). They WERE NOT skimpy on the shrimp! I got like, twenty plump, not-over-cooked, decently sized/fresh tasting shrimp. The Marsala sauce was creamy, the pasta al dente! Good job Strings!

(2007)