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Read More ...Without a doubt, the downtown Gaslamp Quarter has an abundance of restaurants that proudly allude to their ‘fine Italian cuisine.” Most of them offer authentic renditions of distinctively unique dishes that originated in either northern or southern Italy and would certainly qualify as cuisine di buongustaio. Many of these restaurants also feature well-appointed interiors with décor that achieves the highest standard of elegance. That being said, a good number of their guests who have also had the opportunity to actually dine in Italy will confirm that the atmosphere in a lot of our local Italian eateries misses the mark by a country mile.
There are different types of eating establishments in Italy, and Florence in particular. Trattorias and Osterias are far more casual than those that feature fine dining, and often serve their food on bare tabletops with unadorned drinking glasses. They are a lot less expensive than the best formal eateries, which generally offer a more extensive menu and usually do not serve a ‘house’ wine.
Perhaps one of the most faithful local portrayals of cuisine alta Italiano paired with a genuine regional ambiance was created by master Italian Chef Roberto Bernardoni and Patrizia Branchi. Their popular restaurant, Trattoria La Strada, has been a Gaslamp Quarter favorite for years. Recently, this successful duo also opened a nearby restaurant, Bottega de La Strada, which is a well-crafted clone of a Florentine trattoria right down to its chefs, kitchen staff and servers. Foremost amongst these is their capable manager, Stefano, who was recently flown in from Italy to assist in overseeing the operation.
Executive Chef Bernardoni is a man of great passion and skill who sees to it that all of the dishes are prepared exactly as they would be in his homeland; excruciatingly fresh, unabashedly straightforward …and absolutely delicious. The rustic antique furnishings have been arranged to depict the classically austere, group-friendly feel of its Italian counterpart.
On the night of our visit, my guest and I were served a variety of trattoria specialties along with a marvelous Tuscan wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which was reminiscent of a marriage of a fine Chianti Classico and a smooth Merlot. While there are less than a dozen wines on the list at La Bottega, the ones that are served are absolutely excellent and accommodate a wide range of tastes.
Stefano soon arrived at our table with a couple of fantastic appetizers, Carpaccio di Bresaola and Coccoli e Prosciutto. The wide, wafer thin slices of carpaccio were rich in flavor and topped with arugula along with shreds of aged Parmesano Regiano and sprinkled with extra virgin olive oil. The peppery flavor of the greens went with the ripe cheese and aged beef beautifully. The coccoli was made with pizza dough, which was wrapped around a lump of fresh mozzarella cheese and lightly fried. These delicately crisp turnovers were then topped with prosciutto di Parma and served to us piping hot. Both starters were particularly tasty and served with an unusually light and crispy focaccia that was totally different than the southern Italian versions that I have become accustomed to.
A delightfully fragrant Florentine pizza was the next item to be served, and proved to be a real deviation from the thick, doughy pizzas that are sold by American-style operations. The crust of this pie was very thin, a bit crunchy and, instead of being slathered in canned sauce and piled high with everything but the kitchen sink, it was tastefully topped with homemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced imported salami and grilled, marinated bell peppers. It’s true; fresh, high-quality ingredients really do make a better pizza …especially if it is assembled and baked by a chef from Florence, Italy.
The best, however, was yet to come. When Stefano brought our steaming entrée, my guest and I were both captivated by the tempting aromas emanating from the huge platter that he presented on our table with a flourish. The Pollo alla Cacciatora con Peperoni was replete with the haunting essence of freshly picked rosemary leaves, and featured tender chicken drumsticks that were sautéed into a hunter-style mélange along with fresh tomatoes, ripe Italian olives and both yellow and red bell peppers. The dish is served with your choice of seasonal vegetables or rice pilaf. This hearty and delectable dish was served country style, and had both of us taking advantage of the informal trattoria motif to dip chunks of our fresh-baked ciabatta rolls into the remaining gravy at the bottom of the plate so that none would be wasted.
We were both so full by the time we finished our entrée that dessert seemed out of the question, but Stefano suggested that perhaps some almond biscotti and smooth desert wine might be the perfect, crowning touch to the meal. His point was difficult to argue, so we ended our evening at La Bottega de la Strada with a sweet sip and a crunch.
This restaurant is bound to build a strong following because of its unwavering commitment to offering its guests a true trattoria experience so bonafied that diners may even be a bit surprised they are still in San Diego when they step back out onto the sidewalk beyond its doors.
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