Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #9: Boxing Room

It’s not every day you dine at a restaurant where whilst sipping on your glass of wine, you nibble on pieces of alligator. And, while we’re at it, it’s also not every day that an alligator dish will entice a vegetarian to switch sides for the night, and venture on over to where the wild things are. Well, on our latest Where-To-Wednesday adventure on 8/3 to Boxing Room selected by moi with Terra, Elizabeth, Amanda, Becky, Lindsey and Melissa, we checked those two puppies right off our list. And the verdict from the latter, in case you’re wondering? Two enthusiastic thumbs up. We’re proud of you, Terra. It tastes like chicken veggies, right?? This latest extravaganza for the Where-To-Wednesday crew was bitter sweet, for as we dined on deliciously unique dishes with every bite, we lifted our wine glasses (holding equally delicious wine) to cheers not just another exciting adventure together, but the last adventure with Amanda before she moves to Seattle. Amanda – you are a Where-To-Wednesday regular and we will miss you on our monthly adventures together but we hope you can join us on another trip down. I mean, if Terra can push carrots aside to try alligator…anything can happen, right?  Read on you vicarious armchair traveler you, and check out if the Boxing Room really was a knock-out. 0/10 scale…with 10 packin’ the punch.

Ambiance 7.5: All in all, it’s a pretty cool space with a modern kick to it. Large windows line the restaurant, and the exposed kitchen in the back opens up to the bar area where patrons can pull up a seat at the counter. Wood walls with clean, clear edges and bright lighting really modernize this place, which seems counter-intuitive to a Louisiana speak-easy sort of establishment. Reco? Dim the lights a bit. Come on, we all have a few flaws. They had a good mix in seating with bistro tables, counter seating, booth nooks, and larger tables to cater to larger parties. Which brings me to…drumroll please… the inaugurating “Seriously?” segment of Where-To-Wednesday.  With all of this seating available, our first request for a table of 10 was rejected. Seriously, Boxing Room? Flat out. No substitute option provided. Do not pass go, do not collect your seating. Thank you reservation specialist, you were most helpful (insert sarcasm). I was told under no condition in any way could a 10-person party be accommodated. Seriously? You mean to tell me never, ever, could 10 people round themselves up around a table? Seriously? I find that hard to believe, especially after being there and seeing all of the table options. Obviously no one table accomplishes this, but perhaps, just perhaps, putting two tables together could provide the solution? 1 + 1 is….lightbulb. There it is. As it turned out, only 8 of us were able to make it after all, and we luckily (why do I feel as though I time-traveled back to Los Angeles for this reservation: phew, we got it) secured a table for 8. Table success, rant over, moving on.

Wine 9.5: Let me put it to you this way: the food here is pretty amazing (spoiler alert) but even if we had just come here for the wine…I’d be a happy camper. I bet I’d also be a hungry camper..but the world is full compromise and for this wine, I would. The wine was fantastic. We couldn’t decide between a red and a lighter option, so..we went with both. We grabbed a Pinot Noir Copain Tous Ensemble and the lighter Pinot Noir Cep Rosé. Welcome Pinot Noir: our hero (standing ovation). The rosé was light with a bit of fruit and a kick to it, which definitely got our little W2W party started. It was the perfect complement to our appetizers, allowing the spices in the food to take precedence and filling in only where needed. The Pinot Noir was mouth-watering in itself – smooth, velvety, light-medium bodied and again, the perfect pairing with our food, and carried a perfect balance with the more heavily spiced dishes.   

Food 8: This is the cheapest trip to Louisiana you will ever take. The food truly tastes authentic with hearty dishes filled with spice and fried batter. (Note to self: extra sit-ups this week). With tons of options, this place even got the nod of approval from our vegetarian. The appetizers seemed to be more of a hit amongst our group over the larger entrée dishes, but hey, you be the judge:

-          Hushpuppies: If my eyes were closed, I would swear this was a donut. Well, with peppered jelly I suppose it would be a weird donut, but…you get my point. Absolutely delicious – I would gladly take this as a dessert any day.

-          Cornbread Muffins: My God. Is this crème brulee cornbread? Did we start with desserts instead of apps? This may be the best cornbread I’ve ever had. Crispy outside with a hint of sugar, gives way to soft goodness.

-          Deep Fried Alligator: Yes, the one we’ve all been waiting for. The head turner. The “oh-my-god-i-just-ate-alligator-someone-take-a-picture” dish. And the verdict? Delicious! It tastes like chicken! Served with a creole remoulade this is lip-smackin good. How can you ever go wrong with deep fried goodness? What was under all this fried goodness…I really couldn’t taste to be quite honest…and neither could our vegetarian. Win, win.

-          Pickles: Yawn. Nexxxxxxxt?

-          Crispy Boudin Balls: This is basically an entrée tucked away inside an appetizer – genius! God I love surprises! These little crispy fried morsels are filled with a soupy rice consistency mixed with pork sausage – winning!

-          Gulf Shrimp Creole: Yeeehaw! Get yo’ hands dirty with these little guys as you shell the shrimp and eat up their garlicky goodness. That’s right – a little work to do with this dish, but hey, it’s worth it. The garlic bread that accompanies the dish is equally as good, laden with heavy spices and mouth-watering garlic – providing the perfect tool to soak up all the delicious, spicy sauce the shrimp are marinating in.

-          Smoked Chicken and Andouille Gumbo (large order): Smoky, savory and spicy with brown rice piled high; this hearty dish had a nice kick to it. Filled with chicken and big rounds of Andouille sausage, this dish is set to satisfy. Definitely not a show stopper, but come on, going to a creole restaurant without trying the gumbo?  Sacrilegious.

-          Southern Fried Chicken: Let’s be honest, this dinner would not be complete without fried chicken! Crispy with delicious seasonings outside, and juicy meat – really moist. Served with mashed potatoes and corn salsa on the side.

-          Stuffed Mirliton and Eggplant: Ratatouille in a baked tomato sauce with tangy cheese folded into a mirilton– a unique dish that really surprised me with the heartiness of it

-          Gulf Flounder a la Meuniere: Sigh. My favorite dish. We got two of these…mainly because we couldn’t count after all the wine, but I’m glad we did because it was worth going back for seconds. The flounder was prepared with a lightly crisp outside, flavored with a hint of salt and left your mouth in buttery heaven.

-          Rabbit: Damnit, I can’t decide. Maybe this one was my favorite. Welcome to my food love triangle. Absolutely delicious – moist, filling and perfectly seasoned.  

Dessert: In all honesty, we should have just ordered more hushpuppies. Damn those were good. The desserts were average…it was as if all the work went into the spicy dishes and then they realized they had a leftover banana and took it from there.

-          Bananas Foster Cake: Maybe there were a dozen leftover bananas. This was basically an entire banana cake with what tasted like banana flavored cream cheese frosting and possibly even banana flavored  ice cream. Well, maybe not, but it was definitely overly banana. Meh.

-          Pralines and Cream: It’s occurring to me now that I don’t think I got a bite of the blondie (why does that sound dirty?) that was served with this, which could have made all the difference in the world. Ice cream and pralines…not really cutting it. Ice cream is fun but…hardly a dessert to order at a restaurant. Come on, we’ve all got Breyers at the corner store. Or in our freezers. Some of us have a few tubs in our freezers. But that’s a story for another time…

-          Peach and Blackberry Cobbler: We’re getting warmer. Literally. And maybe that’s the key here. This dessert was much better than the other two – warm cobbler oozing with blackberries and peaches, with bits of buttery, sugary goodness melted in between. Topped with a big ole scoop of ice cream, this one was much better than the other two.

-          Beignets: How do you top off a meal of deep fried dishes? Deep fried dessert! Weeeee! These warm beignets were served with both an espresso and a milk chocolate cream dipping sauce. Pretty good, but after those hushpuppies…I know, I know…I’m obsessed.

Price 7.5: At a little over $80 a person, it was a little steep. Maybe….we could have taken a trip to Louisiana afterall. Granted, that included tip but for that price we could have used some reliable tips – i.e. skip the boring peppers.

Noise Level: 9 Cue the halleluiah chorus – we could hear! Which is kind of a miracle when you take an open kitchen, crowds of people, and a large room…and can still converse.

Service: 9 In short, Shelly rocked. Great recommendations for both wine and food, and she did a great job handling our large party. I don’t think we had to stop and look for her once – she was always at our table. And we like attention. Perfect match.

All About The Area: Hayes Valley, how we love thee. With streets adorned with stores, restaurants, and bars, this area is the perfect go-to to both start-off and end your night in one go-round. In fact, we actually kicked off the evening a hop/skip/jump away at Absinthe, and wandered the 5 steps down the street to get to Boxing Room. I love when a plan comes together. This area is definitely a favorite, with great favorites to frequent along with newbies opening up all the time. You can’t really go wrong, you can’t really get bored, and you can’t find a way to avoid eating. You know you want to… hit up Hayes Valley! You’ve got our W2W stamp of approval.

Overall Grade: 8.4

Deep Fried Alligator

Boxing Room Pickles

Gulf Shrimp Creole

Crispy Boudin Balls

Hushpuppies

Me, devouring the hushpuppy with peppered jelly - yum!

Smoked Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Rabbit

Southern Fried Chicken

Gulf Flounder a la Meuniere

Cornbread Muffins

Stuffed Mirliton and Eggplant

Bananas Foster Cake

Pralines and Cream

Peach and Blackberry Cobbler

Beignets

Sending Amanda off well...with a last lick of her dish

Cheers to the end of a great night!

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #8: Bar Bambino

Bar Bambino. No, not a bar filled with little children as I suspiciously suspected and secretly hoped. Oh how I yearn to quote Ms. Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama, “there’s a baby….in a BAR.” But alas, the dream is squashed, and I’ll have to await another trip to the Marina to fulfill it. Snap. Packed with real-life adults, this quaint and cozy restaurant nestled tables both inside and out, with a small bar up front. Hello Ah-Ha! moment. Many thanks to Becky for planning our 7^th Where-To-Wednesday adventure on 6/15, and to our always-fabulous crew comprised this particular week of myself, Melissa, Amanda, Becky, Lindsay, Chelsea and Elizabeth. Check out our overall experience at Bar Bambino…and any other Eureka moments we dare to share. By now you know the drill – 0/10 scale with 10 notoriously rockin those charts. And if you don’t know, now you know.

Ambiance:10  I remember back to when I lived in Michigan, and took a trip one year to San Diego with my family. We walked about to a restaurant to have dinner and were greeted by a hostess who asked us three words I had never been asked at a restaurant: “shade or sun?” That’s an option?? I felt a pang of nostalgia as I entered Bar Bambino and was welcomed by a hostess who asked a question I only dream of: “inside or out?” Those of us who live in San Francisco know that dining outside for dinner is an option typically under only one of the following conditions: 1) it’s ironically also the one day of “Summer” San Francisco is granted per year and miraculously above 70 degrees at night 2) “we have outside seating if you don’t mind the fog rolling in behind you. Also our heat lamps are broken.” Welcome to the anomaly. Bar Bambino had *take notes other restaurants* covered outdoor seating. Eureka! (See…I told you you’d find one). Why is no one else doing this? It’s quite possibly the greatest idea since sliced bread. What a perfect way to dine. Several times throughout the evening we commented on how beautiful the ambiance was, and that we felt transported to a vacation destination. The outside area was comprised of smaller tables for an intimate setting, although our group and another group of girls had packed in upwards of 5-7 at our tables. Wood walls with soft lights embedded throughout enclosed the cozy outdoor area, and cast an inviting yet enlivening lighting across the tables. Inside, it was a similar set-up with larger table availability up front, along with one private room off to the side to accommodate a larger group amongst the smaller table majority. Overall, the ambiance is superb catering to an intimate yet festive environment.

Wine: 9 First of all, before we even get into the wines themselves, I have to comment on the textbook  wine list. This is not just a list of their available wines as we have become so accustomed to seeing. No, very no. This booklet starts off defining various regions of Italy and the types of wines that have stemmed from that particular region and many times have influenced the cuisine. After you have a handle on the various regions, you can then read on through the true wine lists where each wine is color-coded by region so that you can easily select one to your liking. Genius! If you know what you’re doing…otherwise, I’ll admit, it looks like a paint-by-number and trust me, I’m ready to paint. We didn’t conquer every region, but we did hit two of them. I arrived first and started off with a glass of the Georg Prieler Pinot Blanc from Burgenland, Austria. In a word: delicious. It was similar to a Sauvignon Blanc, but much creamier, fruit forward and ended with a crisp refreshing finish. I would have been happy to stick with that for the rest of my life. Okay, maybe just throughout dinner. But alas, bottles win so we moved on to the DeForville Piemonte Chardonnay  from Piemonte, Italy. Definitely not as good (in my eyes where Sauv Blanc can do no wrong) it had more of a nutty taste to it, much less fruit forward, but very smooth. After that we moved on to our own bottles – thank you Amanda! – which were smashingly delicious. Unfortunately, unless you have a reservation at Amanda’s apartment, you’re missing out.

Food: 7 In relationships, you learn to comprise. Give and take. Sometimes you forgo something you want, for the better of your other. Sometimes the compromise even involves food…yes I’m getting closer to the point, be patient. For example, 86’ing the pepperoni on a pizza that is most certainly calling for it, in order to please your vegetarian companion, perhaps. A companion who, I may add, outside of the fact that they have left you with an average cheese pizza, is providing you with everything else you could possibly need: happiness, comfort, laughs…maybe even a long hug? Yes, you’ve guessed it: our companion, this evening, was the food. I’ll be honest, the food was...okay. Not great, not mind-blowing, not really memorable…but good. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially when you look at everything else Bar Bambino gave us: impeccable service, great recos, and amazing ambiance. But alas, we have come to the food portion, and food, we will judge. Hold on to your seats..it’s gonna be a wild ride.

-          Egg, Truffle Salt and Parmigiano-Reggiano Bruschetta: I don’t know what to say about this, I don’t. I actually forgot what it tasted like as soon as I ate it. I literally had to ask the others what it tasted like and the final comment of the dish went a little something like “I just like eggs.”  Exactly. Dish Fail.

-          Pea and Mint Bruschetta: a very refreshing, light dish of pureed pea and mint atop a garlic-rubbed Italian bread with shaved pecorino to top it off, which was surprisingly satisfying

-          Grilled Prosciutto and Peach Salad: Ah, the taste of summer! This dish was delicious – the right mix of fresh peaches wrapped in grilled prosciutto, with the slightest hint of bbq, to transport you to a hot summer day. This one gets a gold star.

-          Fresh Cece Beans: Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, I’m still edamame from the block. (Yes, this is happening). These individual edamame are deep fried and seasoned heavily on the outside with salt and spice, hiding our old friend edamame on the inside. Delicious. Gold star number 2.

-          Olives All’ Ascolana: Translation? The heaviest olive you will ever eat. This puppy is stuffed with pork. And then..prosciutto. And then…pecorino. And then…breaded. And then…fried. And then…no more and then. You’ve now officially eaten the heaviest olive. Congratulations.

-          Squash Blossoms: A slight crisp of tempura covered a rather flimsy squash blossom, which was filled with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Unfortunately, the taste of the cheese was not very distinct at all, and blended right into the overall taste of the squash.

If you notice nothing else from these adventures, I’m sure you see that when we order pasta, we really “order pasta.” Typically, all we can get. Pasta’s good, end of story. I should stop to note a few things here about the pastas at Bar Bambino – overall the pastas are very small dishes. If you’re planning on sharing, I hope you like to compromise. If not, you may need to re-read the section above. Focus on the pizza.

-          Pappardelle with Sugo Di Coniglio: This was an egg pasta tossed with rabbit, porcini, pancetta and sage. Oh, and a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Because when I bit into the meat, it was filled – I mean – FILLED, with bones. Obviously, not a favorite.

-          Agnolotti with Veal and Ricotta: These were small veal-filled pieces of pasta tossed with a creamy butter-based sauce. The sauce had warm, rich satisfying zest to it, but the veal inside lacked a little in taste.

-          Black and White Risotto: mildly creamy consistency of pulled pork risotto – flavor was a little to subdued, and can have definitely packed a little more punch.

-          Long-Rolled Gnocchi: don’t judge a book by it’s cover. First of all, the name may imply a larger of gnocchi. Negative, these are actually much smaller. So small in fact that they lead me to my next point – when the dish arrives, it won’t look very appealing. Tsk, tsk. The book is good. These crispy buttery bites of goodness are delicious.

-          Goat’s Cheese and Semolina Dumplings with Kale and Walnut: the lightly salted kale was the perfect companion against the rich goat cheese baked inside the dumplings.

-          Grilled Asparagus: carried a refreshing zing and hint of bacon.

-          Paprika-Infused Pork and Veal Cabbage Rolls: delicious cabbage leaves stuffed with savory  pork and veal, with warm bacon draped across the top melted into the rolls - delic! 

-          Grappa Roasted Duck: had a beautiful presentation as the duck is glazed in a savory blueberry thyme. The taste, however, was a little dry and a little bland.

-          Goat’s Milk Cheesecake with Beet Granita and Sambuca: moist and rich with a toasted almond crust. Heads up, read the name of the dish carefully because yes, you can taste the beets. If you’re not a fan, read on chocolate lovers…you’re haven is below.

-          Napoleon of Apricot and Chamomile: a sweet yet light dish of honey roasted apricots and vanilla cream layered between delicate phyllo and caramel.

-          Schwarzwalder with Liquored Cherries: Yes, I saved the best for last. This rich, velvety chocolate cake topped with liquored cherries will send you to heaven and back. Skip the pastas and order two of these, trust me.

Price: 8 Pretty reasonable for all that we ordered. Unless you only count the dishes that we liked. In that case, I’m awaiting my refund little bar.

Noise Level: 7.5 Let’s put it this way, if you’re on the edge of your seat, it’s not in anticipation of the food. The acoustics are pretty bad, but I must say that I’m pretty positive our group and one other seated close to us, maaaay have been the cause of this noise invasion. For an otherwise two-topped majority of a restaurant, we were the outliers. The ruckus-makers. The “kids these days.” Regardless, it’s a restaurant, plan ahead to accommodate laughter.

Service: 9.5 Had I had one more glass of wine, I may have believed I was the Queen of Sheba. We had not one, not two, but three amazing, wonderful waitresses helping us throughout the night. Not only were they extremely friendly and always readily available, but right-on with recommendations, especially with the wine. Multiple times. And I must say, I should have known as soon as I walked in the door. Normally, when you walk into a restaurant without a “fixed” hostess stand, if you’re like me, you wander around aimlessly looking for someone wearing something, anything, resembling a uniform that can tell me just exactly how long I’m about to wait for my table. I never find them quickly. I never find easily. And sometimes, I never find them, period. But Bar Bambino..you blew me away. You did. As I walked through the door and stared at the wall ahead, sure it would begin talking before a human did – I was instead, not only acknowledged, but greeted by the bartender, who welcomed me to the restaurant and seamlessly introduced me to the hostess who was across the room. No mindless wandering. No guesswork. Bravo Bar Bambino, Bravo.

All About The Area: Yes, let’s talk about this. Pepper spray? Check. Karate lessons? Check. Ability to avoid staring at the man who has fallen asleep standing up whilst holding an upright beer can in his hand? Still working on it. You’re tricky Mission, you are. I want to like you. I want to frequent your plethora of amazing restaurants and eclectic bars. I do. But, I also hate stepping in urine. And the sound of a homeless man catcalling me and my friends has yet to thrill me. But alas, try and try again, we will. ‘Til next time Mission. I’ll be stronger.  

Overall Grade: 8.5 

Egg, Truffle Salt and Parmigiano-Reggiano Bruschetta

Pea and Mint Bruschetta

Grilled Prosciutto and Peach Salad

Olives All' Ascolana

Fresh CeCe Beans...get 'em while they're hot!

Squash Blossoms

Agnolotti with Veal and Ricotta

Pappardelle with Sugo Di Coniglio

Black and White Risotto

Goat's Cheese and Semolina Dumplings with Kale and Walnut

Grappa Roasted Duck

Grilled Asparagus (you would have never guessed, right?)

Paprika-Infused Pork and Veal Cabbage Rolls

Long-Rolled Gnocchi

The Birthday Girl!

Where-To-Wednesday Adventure #7: Cotogna

Welcome to May – where April showers brought May…showers. Blah, what’s a girl to do but EAT! And so, up and onward to our next Where-To-Wednesday adventure! Our 7th W2W on May 11th, was chosen by Melissa, and tried as she could, it took this patient lady a month’s call in advance to get us resos at this next destination: Cotogna. “Never heard of it” you scoff? Perhaps. But you will. And maybe not just here. Maybe you’ll read about it in US Weekly with pictures of Blake Lively herself who we were told dined there a few nights before us. Or Hugh Jackman who was scheduled to lunch there on Friday. (Sorry, you can take the girl out of Hollywood, but you can’t take Hollywood out of the girl. I love this stuff). But remember, you heard it here FIRST. And the bigger question is,  did WE eat dinner at the same restaurant as Ms. Blake Lively and Mr. Hugh Jackman? OR did they eat at the same restaurant as US? I suppose it's one in the same, but, for the record..it's the latter. And for good reason, Cotogna is, quite frankly, de-lic-ous. I’m still licking my fingers over here. With good food, good times and good friends celebrated by myself, Melissa, Elizabeth, Becky, Chelsea, Lindsey and Amanda…it just doesn’t get any better! As you can tell the night was a success, but check out the details below on our solid 0/10 scale to get the dirt!

Ambiance: 10 Can I live here? First of all, there is a wood-burning oven in the back, and that smoky, seductive smell is enough to make your mouth water if you weren’t already hungry walking in. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, catering mainly to two-tops (which is why getting a table for anything more than 2 can take a little longer) and is comfortably quaint. As you know, we dined here for dinner, and they had candles set at each table that cast a warm, inviting glow across the restaurant. And as the sun sets, it gently lights the restaurant through the tall windows across two sides. Exposed brick on another side reminds you that you are indeed in San Francisco, but all in all, you may forget you’re out because you’ll feel so at home.

Wine: 8 We only ordered one bottle. We only ordered one bottle over and over again, which we obviously liked, but it’s difficult to judge the wine in general. The bottle we chose, was one recommended by our waiter as it was from a region where his relatives resided, and it paired very well with our food: the Soave “Vigne De Mezzane,” Corte Sant’ Alda 2009.  Whew, that’s a mouthful. And I wish I knew more of what it translated to other than “good.” Okay, moving on, here’s the cool part about their wine list – every bottle is $40. That’s right. I consider that pretty average for dining out, and now you don’t have to fret about spending less or more on bottles when you make your decision. The wine list is your oyster!

Food: 10 One word: Damn. And Good. Okay, make that two words. And what else could you expect from a restaurant whose chef, Michael Tusk, just won the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef- Pacific. ‘Nuf said. Check out what we ate, which will also give you a pretty good feel for the entire menu because, well, we eat a LOT.

-          Warm Ricotta: Mixed with fava beans and red onions, this dish is warm, delicious with a little kick of salty goodness. It is served with a crostini that is buttered and toasted to perfection.

-          Zucchini Sformato with squash blossoms: I’ll admit it, this dish didn’t exactly turn me on when I read it on the menu. So when we ordered two dishes of it, I sighed in sadness. But alas, you got me Zucchini, you got me. It was blended to a rich, velvety creamy dish, adorned with a crispy zucchini on top – adding a new dimension to the dish. And a party to your mouth. That’s right people.

-          Eggplant “alla parmigiana”:  this one I thought was a little overpowered by the parmesan cheese. Very good, great consistency but a little too cheesy.

-          Pizza Bianca: topped with asparagus and spring onion this dish is very refreshing. It has a zing of lemon thrown in there, and with one bite you taste how crisp, warm and light this pizza is.

-          Chilled snap peas: The crisp slightly sugary snap pea paired with a tangy yogurt, was the perfect combination.

-          Yellowtail Crudo: The yellowtail is also a refreshing start to the night, with espelette pepper and lime.

-          Farm egg Raviolo: it’s true, I need to brush up on my Italian, but the name of this dish is teaching me slowly. Raviolo: one. Ravioli: more than one. I’m a big fan of the latter. Raviolo, on the other hand, you’re such a tease. And hardly a “dish” unless you’re an ant. But if you’re sharing plates like we were, it is one worth trying. It’s a bit heavier than most of the other dishes here (which I found to be on the lighter side yet filling), filled with parmesan and surrounding by warm, rich butter. It came with focaccia bread on the side, which was equally – maybe even moreso – amazing: salty, garlicky…focaccia: you could have been my whole meal and I’d have left a happy girl.

-          Tagliolini: topped with Dungeness crab and the compliment of lemon, this pasta dish is refreshing and yet it’s creamy, warm homemade taste give you the satisfying smile on your face.

-          Tagliatelle: mixed with suckling pig ragu and English peas, this dish is a little heartier than the rest but fixed similar to the Tagliolini.

-          Agnolotti “dal plin”: allow me to translate – pasta. Surprise! Because we haven’t eaten quite enough pasta at this point. This dish is light yet rich and satisfying – and I realize the contradiction there, but…you just have to taste to understand. They are delicious, warm purses of pasta cooked just right – not too al dente – filled with meat.

-          Wood Oven Roasted Sand Abs: We actually didn’t order these and they came as a mistake, but…come on…who are WE to turn food away. We’ve only eaten half the menu at this point. Step aside people, we’re moving in. The sand abs were light and delicate, with a hint of butter and the freshness of parsley – and were even adorned with edible flowers!

-          Tai Snapper: Paired with asparagus and lemon thyme, it presented a mix of a refreshingly light taste, mixed with the indulging luxury of butter. We liked this dish better than the sand abs.

-          Skirt steak: served with ramps and roasted fingerling potatoes, the steak was nestled nicely in a sea of garlic and deliciousness. It was perfectly prepared – we ordered it medium/rare – and was a nice cut of steak – much thicker than I would have imagined.

-          Dessert: Question of the night: if you’ve had 13 dishes, is your “dessert side” still hungry? The answer: YES!

-          Bomboloni:  These are little mini-donuts filled with rich ricotta cheese, to dip in a limoncello sauce and devour!

-          Milk Chocolate and almond milk Budino: this is a graham cracker-like dessert that you dip in a chocolate pudding type of consistency (which I’m guessing is the “budino”…who needs Italian classes? Not this girl!) served in a classic mini-pitcher.

-          Cherry and almond crostada: this crispy, flaky, decadent crostada mixed with warm sweet cherries is the perfect end to the night

Price: 9 I won’t lie – it was a little expensive when the bill came. Okay, we alone paid the mortgage on our waiter’s apartment, but it was worth it. And as I type out all that we ate, it’s all making sense now. Eat the whole menu, pay for it.

Noise Level: 9 We had the biggest table there, and me and my Grandma-type hearing could still the girls at the other end of our table just fine. It’s a smaller restaurant, but quaint enough that everyone respects the noise level and the space around them.

Service: 8.5 Our server wasn’t overly attentive to our table – we had to ask for a few things multiple times, but it wasn’t for lack of being busy. If our waiter wasn’t at our table, he was at the next – helping and serving away! They did a great job spacing out the food so there was constantly something new coming.

All About The Area: Cotogna is nestled in the heart of Jackson Square – an area I have to admit I don’t typically frequent. The area itself is where eager antiquers meets hungry dinner goers looking for that extra something. There are a few little restaurants on this street, that I’m sure I’ll be back to check out. Being off the beaten path, the restaurants on this street aren’t the same loud, boisterous, packed restaurants you’ll see a block away on Columbus – but rather the hidden secret a select group of people have stumbled upon to enjoy.  That’s right, I’m talking about you – go get ‘em tiger.

Overall Grade: 9



Our Wine: the Soave "Vigne De Mezzane," Corte Sant' Alda 2009 



Tagliolini with Dungeness Crab

Agnolotti "dal plin"

Tagliatelle with suckling pig ragu and English peas

Farm egg Raviolo

Wood Oven Roasted Sand Abs

Skirt Steak

Eggplant "alla parmigiana"



Milk Chocolate and almond milk Budino





Bomboloni